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THE  LIBRARY 

OF 
THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

PRESENTED  BY 

PROF.  CHARLES  A.  KOFOID  AND 
MRS.  PRUDENCE  W.  KOFOID 


The  National 
Standard  Squab  Book 


pur 


ELMER  C.  RICE. 


The   National 
Standard   Squab   Book 


By   ELMER   C.   RICE 


A  PRACTICAL  MANUAL  GIVING 
COMPLETE  AND  PRECISE  DIREC- 
TIONS FOR  THE  INSTALLATION 
AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  A  SUC- 
CESSFUL SQUAB  PLANT.  FACTS 
FROM  EXPERIENCES  OF  MANY 

HOW  TO  MAKE  A  PIGEON  AND  SQUAB 
BUSINESS  PAY,  DETAILS  OF  BUILDING, 
BUYING,  HABITS  OF  BIRDS,  MATING, 
WATERING,  FEEDING,  KILLING,  COOL- 
ING, MARKETING,  SHIPPING,  CURING 
AILMENTS,  AND  OTHER  INFORMATION 


Illustrated  with  New  Sketches  and  Half  Tone  Plates 

from  Photographs  Specially  Made 

for  this  Work 


BOSTON,  MASSACHUSETTS 
1907 


Copyright' 
Copyright, 
Copyright, 
Copyright, 
Copyright, 
Copyright, 
Copyright, 


1901,  by  Elmer  C. 

1902,  by  Elmer  C. 

1903,  by  E.mer  C. 

1904,  by  Elmer  C. 

1905,  by  Elmer  C. 

1906,  by  Elmer  C. 

1907,  by  Elmer  C. 


Rice 
Rice 
Rice 
Rice 
Rice 
Rice 
Rice 


All  rights  reserved. 


A  WELL-BUILT  NEST. 


Press  of 
Murray  and  Emery  Company 


CONTENTS. 

Page 

Preface  .          .          .          .          ....          .11 

Chapter         I.  Squabs  Pay     .          .          .          .          .          .          ..15 

Chapter       II.  An  Easy  Start          .          .          .          .          .          .21 

Chapter     III.  The  Unit  House        .          .          .          .          .          .37 

Chapter      IV.     Nest  Bowls  and  Nests 45 

Chapter        V.  Water  and  Feed        .          .          .          .          .          .51 

Chapter      VI.     Laying  and  Hatching 63 

Chapter    VII.  Increase  of  Flock      .          .          .          .          .          .75 

Chapter  VIII.     Killing  and  Cooling 79 

Chapter     IX.  The  Markets    .          ...          .          .          .          .83 

Chapter       X.  Pigeons'  Ailments    ......      89 

Chapter     XI.     Getting  Ahead 93 

Chapter   XII.  Questions  and  Answers     .....    101 

Supplement  .          .          .          ...          .          .          .113 

Appendix  A  .........   139 

Appendix  B          • 153 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page 
Portrait  of  the  Author  (Frontispiece)          .          .          .          . 

A  Well-Built  Nest  .          .          .  .         .          .  .       8 

Thoroughbreds     ^.          .          .          ..          .    .     '-.          .          .  .14 

How  a  Back  Yard  may  be  Fixed  for  Pigeons      .          <          .  .18 

Cheap  but  Practical  Nest  Boxes          .  ...     22 

How  City  Dwellers  without  Land  may  Breed  Squabs  .  .      24 

Unit  Squab  House  (with  Passageway)  and  Flying  Pen  .  .      26 

Nest  Boxes  Built  of  Lumber     .          .          .          .          .          .          .28 

Best  Nest  Box  Construction     .          .          .          .          .          .          .30 

Interior  of  Squab  House  Showing  Perches  .  .          .  .      32 

A  Pretty  Squab  House  and  Flying  Pen        ...  .36 

Multiple  Unit  House         .  .      38 

Interior  of  Multiple  Unit  House         ...  .40 

Multiple  Unit  House,  Ten  Units,  Built  according  to  Our  Plans       .      42 
Nest  Bowl,  Bath  Pan,  Drinking  Fountain,  etc.  .  .      46 

Berry  Crate  to  Hold  Nesting  Material 50 

Scenes  on  the  $200,000  Farm  of  One  of  Our  Customers         .  .      58 

Eggs  in  the  Nest,  Squabs  Just  Hatched 64 

Squabs  One  Week  Old,  Squabs  Two  Weeks  Old  .  .  .66 

Squabs  Three  weeks  Old,  Squabs  Four  weeks  Old        .          .          .68 
The  Mating  Coop  .  .70 

Pigeons  in  St.  Mark's  Square,  Venice          .  .  .          .  .74 

Killing  Squabs  with  the  Hands 80 

Killed  Squabs  Hung  to  Cool     .  .          .          .          .  .82 

Three  Dressed  Squabs 86 

Squab  House  Built  of  Logs 88 

Pair  of  Homers  Billing     .  .          .          .          .          .          .  .90 

How  We  Ship  Pigeons 98 

Self  Feeder  for  Grain 108 

Machine  for  Killing  Squabs       .  .          .  .          .          .  .114 

Sprayer '.  .116 

Nest  Boxes .          .117 

Mating  Coops  in  Mating  House  .          .  .          .          .  .134 

Pigeons  in  Corner  of  Flying  Pen '      .          .          .          .          .          .138 

Interior  of  Mating  House  .......    142 

Part  of  South  Side  of  One  of  Our  Houses  .          .          .          .146 

Dowel  System  of  Feeding  and  Watering    .          .          .          .          .150 

Pigeons  Bathing      .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .          .152 


PREFACE. 

This  Manual  or  Handbook  on  Squabs  is  written  to  teach 
people,  beginners  mostly,  not  merely  how  to  raise  squabs, 
but  how  to  conduct  a  squab  and  pigeon  business  successfully. 
We  have  found  breeders  of  squabs  who  knew  how  to  raise  them 
fairly  well  and  took  pleasure  in  doing  so,  but  were  weak  on 
the  business  end  of  the  industry.  The  fancier,  who  raises 
animals  because  he  likes  their  looks  or  their  actions,  or 
because  he  hopes  to  beat  some  other  fancier  at  an  exhibition, 
is  not  the  man  for  whom  we  have  written  this  book.  We 
have  developed  Homer  pigeons  and  the  Homer  pigeon  industry 
solely  because  they  are  staples,  and  the  squabs  they  produce 
are  staples,  salable  in  any  market  at  a  remunerative  price. 
The  success  of  squabs  as  we  exploit  them  depends  on  their 
earning  capacity.  They  are  a  matter  of  business.  Our 
development  of  squabs  is  based  on  the  fact  that  they  are 
good  eating,  that  people  now  are  in  the  habit  of  asking  for 
and  eating  them,  that  there  is  a  large  traffic  in  them  which 
may  be  pushed  to  an  enormous  extent  without  weakening 
either  the  market  or  the  price.  If,  as  happens  in  this  case, 
pigeons  are  a  beautiful  pet  stock  as  well  as  money  makers, 
so  much  the  better,  but  we  never  would  breed  anything  not 
useful,  salable  merely  as  pets.  It  is  just  as  easy  to  pet  a 
practical  animal  as  an  impractical  animal,  and  much  more 
satisfying. 

This  Manual  is  the  latest  and  most  comprehensive  work  we 
have  done,  giving  the  results  of  our  experience  as  fully  and 
accurately  as  we  can  present  the  subject.  It  is  intended  as  an 
answer  to  the  hundreds  of  letters  we  receive,  and  we  have 
tried  to  cover  every  point  which  a  beginner  or  an  expert  needs 
to  know.  It  is  a  fault  of  writers  of  most  guide  books  like 
this  to  leave  out  points  which  they  think  are  too  trivial,  or 
"  which  everybody  ought  to  know."  It  has  been  our  experi- 
ence in  handling  this  subject  and  bringing  it  home  to  people 
that  the  little  points  are  the  ones  on  which  they  most  quickly 
go  astray,  and  on  which  they  wish  the  fullest  information. 
After  they  have  a  fair  start,  they  are  able  to  think  out  their 
operations  for  themselves.  Accordingly  we  have  covered 

11 


12       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

every  point  in  this  book  in  simple  language  and  if  the  details 
in  some  places  appear  too  commonplace,  remember  that  we 
have  erred  on  the  side  of  plainness. 

The  customers  to  whom  we  have  sold  breeding  stock  have 
been  of  great  help  to  us  in  arranging  and  presenting  these 
facts.  We  asked  them  to  tell  us  just  the  points  they  wished 
covered,  or  covered  more  fully,  or  just  where  our  writings 
were  weak.  They  replied  in  a  most  kindly  way,  nearly  every 
letter  thanking  us  heartily,  and  brimming  over  with  enthus- 
iasm for  the  squab  industry. 

It  has  surprised  a  great  many  people  to  learn  that  Homer 
pigeons  are  such  a  staple  and  workable  article.  They  have 
been  handled  by  the  old  methods  for  years  without  their 
great  utility  being  made  plain.  When  wre  first  learned  about 
squabs,  we  were  struck  by  the  impressive  fact  that  here  was 
something  which  grew  to  market  size  in  the  incredible  time 
of  four  weeks  and  then  was  marketed  readily  at  a  good  profit. 
The  spread  of  that  knowledge  will  make  money  for  you. 
Show  your  neighbors  the  birds  you  buy  of  us,  tell  them  the 
facts,  and  perhaps  give  them  a  squab  to  eat,  then  you  will 
find  a  quick  call  for  all  the  live  breeders  you  can  supply. 

The  procedure  which  we  advise  in  this  National  Standard 
Squab  Book  is  safe  and  sound,  demonstrated  to  be  successful 
by  hundreds  of  our  customers,  many  of  whom  started  with  no 
knowledge  except  what  we  were  able  to  give  them  by  letter 
or  word  of  mouth.  We  have  abandoned  all  instruction 
which  does  not  stand  the  test  of  time  and  locality,  and  give 
only  facts  of  proven  value,  of  real,  practical  experience. 

ELMER  C.  RICE. 

Boston,  August,  1902, 


POSTSCRIPT. 

This  work  has  met  with  so  much  favor  during  the  past  year, 
and  has  sold  so  largely  in  excess  of  expectations,  that  we 
wish  to  thank  our  friends  everywhere  for  their  cordial  support. 
The  Appendix  A  which  appears  at  the  back  of  this  edition 
was  added  last  February,  and  it  is  our  intention  to  keep  the 
work  up  to  date  by  revisions  and  additions  at  least  twice 
yearly,  The  proof  of  the  pudding  is  in  the  eating,  and  the 


PREFACE  13 

proof  of  these  squab  teachings  is  shown  in  the  successes  made 
by  our  thousands  of  customers  with  no  other  knowledge  of 
squabs  than  this  as  a  guide.  Our  correspondence,  now 
having  extended  over  a  long  period,  shows  conclusively  that 
beginners  find  all  questions  answered  in  this  book,  and  go 
forward  confidently  and  surely  to  success. 

E.  C.  R. 
Boston,  August,  1903, 


1907  EDITION. 

The  old  plates  of  this  book  have  been  fairly  worn  out  by 
much  printing,  so  great  has  been  the  demand  for  it,  especially 
during  the  past  five  years.  The  sales  have  been  larger  than 
for  any  other  work  on  birds  or  animals  ever  written.  For  this 
1907  edition,  the  whole  book  has  been  reset  in  new  type,  and 
new  plates  made. 

The  outlook  for  the  squab  industry  during  1907  and  the 
years  to  come  is  of  high  promise.  More  people  are  eating 
squabs  than  ever  before  and  more  people  are  raising  them. 
At  no  time  within  our  memory  has  the  market  been  over- 
stocked with  squabs,  and  prices  have  kept  up  all  along  the 
line.  Only  yesterday  we  were  visited  by  a  gentleman  and  his 
niece  from  New  York  City  who  stated  that  they  had  priced 
squabs  there  December  31  and  found  them  seven  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  a  dozen.  The  dealers  who  offered  them  at  this 
price  had  paid  the  breeders  for  them  from  four  dollars  to  six 
dollars  a  dozen,  according  to  their  postal  card  quotations  sent 
out  in  December. 

We  shall  be  pleased  to  hear  from  our  friends  after  they  have 
read  this  book,  and  welcome  any  suggestions  for  its  improve- 
ment, or  for  the  betterment  of  the  squab  industry.  The 
author  will  gladly  answer  all  such  letters  and  advise  fully  as  to 
location  and  construction  of  buildings,  and  management  of 
breeding  stock. 

E.  C.  R. 

Boston,  January,  1907, 


THOROUGHBREDS. 


14 


CHAPTER  I. 

SQUABS  PAY. 

Experience  of  a  Customer  who  Started  in  January,  1902, 
Erected  a  Plant  Worth  Three  Thousand  Dollars  and  Made 
Money  A  Imost  from  the  Start — Settlements  of  Squab  Breeders 
in  Iowa,  California,  New  Jersey  and  Pennsylvania — 
Large  Incomes  Made  from  Pigeons — Squab  Plants  Known 
to  be  Making  Money — The  Hard-Working  Farmer  and  the 
Easy-Working  Squab  Raiser — No  Occupation  for  a  Drone — 
No  Exaggeration. 

"  Will  it  pay  me  to  raise  squabs?"  is  the  first  question 
which  the  beginner  asks.  We  take  the  case  of  a  man  who 
bought  a  Manual  in  January,  1902.  His  boys  had  kept  a  few 
pigeons  but  had  never  handled  them  in  a  commercial  way, 
nor  tried  to  make  any  money  with  them.  The  reading  of 
the  book  gave  him  the  first  real  light  on  the  squab  industry. 
Possibly  he  was  more  ready  to  believe  because  he  knew  from 
his  own  personal  experience  that  a  squab  grows  to  market  size 
in  four  weeks  and  is  then  readily  marketable.  He  started  at 
once  to  build  a  squab  house  according  to  the  directions  given. 
The  ground  was  too  hard  for  him  to  get  a  pickaxe  into,  so 
he  laid  the  foundation  timbers  on  bricks,  rushed  the  work 
ahead  with  the  help  of  good  carpenters  and  sent  on  his  order 
for  breeding  stock.  In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  he  ordered 
a  second  lot  of  breeders,  followed  by  a  third  and  a  fourth, 
and  he  kept  adding  new  buildings.  When  spring  came  and 
the  ground  softened,  he  jacked  up  his  first  squab  house,  took 
out  the  bricks  at  the  four  corners  and  put  in  cedar  posts. 
By  the  middle  of  July  he  had  five  handsome  squab  houses 
and  flying  pens,  all  built  by  skilled  labor  in  the  best  possible 
style  at  a  cost  of  at  least  three  hundred  dollars  apiece.  With 
his  buildings  and  their  fittings  and  his  birds,  his  plant  repre- 
sented an  expenditure  of  between  two  thousand  and  three 
thousand  dollars. 

This  gentleman  lives  in  a  locality  where  he  had  to  put  up  nice- 
looking  buildings,  or  the  neighbors  would  have  complained. 
He  spent  probably  three  times  more  money  on  his  buildings 

15 


16       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

than  the  average  beginner  would  spend.  He  is  a  superin- 
tendent of  a  large  manufacturing  plant,  a  man  of  push  and 
energy,  and  he  has  four  young  boys  in  his  family  who  have 
helped  with  the  wife  and  grandfather  to  make  the  venture 
successful.  It  was  a  paying  venture  almost  from  the  very 
start.  Everything  that  we  wrote  about  squabs  as  money 
makers  came  true  in  his  case.  One  of  the  sons,  a  lad  of  nine- 
teen, came  on  to  see  us  the  first  summer  and  told  us  the  story 
of  their  success.  He  was  after  more  breeding  stock.  He 
said  he  had  many  calls  from  people  who  wished  to  buy  stock 
of  him,  and  he  was  unable  to  supply  all  of  them,  but  he  did 
not  intend  to  have  money  offered  him  very  long  without 
being  able  to  pass  out  the  birds.  In  other  words,  they  were 
going  into  squabs  for  all  they  were  worth.  They  had  not  done 
any  advertising,  and  had  not  sold  live  breeders  to  any  extent, 
but  figured  their  profits  solely  on  the  sale  of  squabs  to  comr 
mission  houses,  and  they  were  getting  for  them  just  what 
we  said  the  commission  men  would  pay. 

We  have  a  great  many  visitors,  some  coming  from  remote 
points  of  the  United  States.  One  of  our  visitors  in  the 
summer  of  1902  was  Mr.  A.  L.  Furlong,  from  a  little  town  in 
Iowa.  Mr.  Furlong  said  to  us:  "  Iowa  is  quite  a  squab 
breeding  State.  There  are  plants  in  Ruthven,  Osage,  Wallake 
and  Estherville.  The  owner  of  a  plant  in  Ruthven  I  know 
very  well.  He  showed  me  his  account  books;  he  was  shipping 
from  seven  hundred  to  eight  hundred  dollars  worth  of  squabs 
last  month.  He  is  making  a  profit  of  three  thousand  to  five 
thousand  dollars  a  year.  He  ships  to  the  Chicago  market, 
as  do  nearly  all  the  Iowa  breeders.  He  never  gets  less  than 
two  dollars  and  fifty  cents  a  dozen  for  his  squabs.  I  am 
going  to  start  raising  squabs  myself." 

Mr.  Furlong  left  an  order  for  one  of  our  Manuals,  having 
given  his  first  one  to  his  friend.  He  said  that  his  friend  was 
breeding  common  pigeons  and  would  like  to  know  our  methods. 
We  discarded  common  pigeons  some  time  ago.  If  our  Iowa 
friends  will  use  Homer  pigeons  instead  of  common  ones,  they 
will  produce  a  much  better  squab  and  make  more  money. 

We  had  a  curious  confirmation  of  the  above  in  August,  1902, 
when  Mr.  E.  H.  Grice,  who  lives  in  the  northern  part  of 
Vermont,  visited  us.  Mr.  Grice  had  just  returned  from  a  visit 
to  the  West,  and  stopped  for  a  while  at  Ruthven,  Iowa,  where 


SQUABS  PAY  17 

he  saw  the  plant  above  noted.  The  proprietor  referred  Mr. 
Grice  to  us  and  advised  him  to  start  with  Homer  pigeons, 
saying  that,  if  he  were  to  stock  up  again,  it  would  be  with 
Homer  instead  of  the  common  pigeons.  Before  leaving,  Mr. 
Grice  gave  us  an  order  for  one  hundred  pairs  of 'our  Homers. 

The  number  of  orders  for  breeding  stock  which  we  have 
received  from  Iowa  is  out  of  proportion  to  any  State  near  it, 
showing  that  these  squab  plants  are  known  throughout  Iowa 
to  be  making  money.  The  same  is  true  of  California.  We 
visited  many  squab  breeders  in  eastern  States  in  June,  1902, 
noting  the  buildings  and  methods  and  finding  out  from  them 
if  they  were  satisfied  with  the  financial  returns.  All  were 
enthusiastic  and  said  it  was  easy  work,  that  squabs  beat 
hens  easily  and  were  much  less  care.  The  methods  of  some 
of  these  breeders  were  extremely  crude,  the  birds  nesting  in 
old  boxes  of  all  sizes  nailed  to  the  walls  of  the  squab 
houses,  and  apparently  never  being  cleaned.  The  Homers 
were  small,  not  being  able  to  raise  squabs  weighing  over  seven 
pounds  to  the  dozen. 

Somebody  has  said  that  a  squab  plant  of  one  thousand  pairs 
of  birds  will  pay  better  than  a  farm.  The  contrast  between 
the  hard,  grinding  toil  of  the  man  who  works  a  large  farm  and 
the  "  standing  around  "  of  the  owner  of  a  squab  plant  is  indeed 
a  striking  one.  However,  we  do  not  speak  of  this  to  give  you 
the  idea  that  money  is  going  to  flow  into  your  lap  just  because 
you  buy  some  squab  breeders  of  us.  It  is  no  work  for  a  drone 
or  a  "  get-rich-quick  "  person  whose  enthusiasm  runs  riot  for 
two  weeks  and  then  cools  off.  Our  class  of  trade  is  men  and 
women  of  experience  and  reliable  common  sense  who  have 
a  knowledge  of  the  world  and  understand  that  things  come 
by  work  and  not  for  the  asking.  The  people  who  are  able 
and  willing  to  pay  us  from  fifty  to  five  hundred  dollars  for  a 
breeding  outfit,  as  hundreds  do,  are  not  caught  by  glittering 
.promises,  but  have  money  laid  by  through  exercise  of.  the 
qualities  of  ability  and  shrewdness.  The  naturally  careless, 
improvident  person,  who  is  generally  in  debt,  should  not  start 
squab  raising.  It  is  a  sensible  industry  for  sensible  people. 

The  profits  to  be  made  with  squabs  vary  with  the  individual 
and  with  the  management  of  the  birds,  exactly  as  with  poul- 
try. It  is  important  to  have  only  mated  or  even  pairs  in  the 
pens  and  all  birds  not  producing  should  be  kept  in  a  separate 


18 


SQUABS  PAY  19 

pen  and  removed  to  breeding  quarters  only  after  they  have 
gone  to  work.  The  chief  difficulty  with  a  beginner  is  the 
matter  of  sex.  The  male  and  the  female  pigeon  have  no 
marks  to  distinguish  them,  and  the  beginner  must  determine 
their  sex  by  observation.  He  must  study  his  birds  and  come 
to  know  them.  Some  beginners  will  not  equip  themselves  by 
study  and  observation  to  make  a  success  and  may  breed  in  a 
hap-hazard  fashion  for  a  year  or  more  without  knowing  the 
sex  of  the  birds  they  raise.  Birds  which  you  raise  will  go  to 
work  more  quickly,  look  better  and  breed  better  than  any  birds 
you  can  buy,  because  that  is  the  temperament  of  the  Homer, 
to  be  attached  to  his  home,  to  love  it,  and  to  try  to  reach  it  if 
he  can.  Anybody  who  has  doubts  as  to  his  ability  to  raise 
squabs  should  start  with  a  small  flock  and  breed  up  until  he 
has  acquired  skill  and  experience. 

As  part  of  this  Manual,  in  the  supplement  and  appendices, 
we  print  many  letters  from  customers  who  started  with  small 
flocks  and  won  striking  successes.  It  is  not  necessary  to  get 
a  fancy  price  for  the  squabs  to  make  the  business  a  success. 
In  confirmation  of  this  we  have  in  mind  the  work  of  two  of 
our  customers,  young  men  named  Lunn,  who  have  received 
only  two  dollars  to  three  dollars  a  dozen  for  their  squabs, 
selling  to  dealers  who  retail  them  for  four  dollars  to  six 
dollars  a  dozen.  These  brothers  have  told  their  story  in  one 
of  the  poultry  papers  as  follows : 

"  In  February,  1905,  we  got  the  idea  of  going  into  the  squab 
business.  We  spent  some  time  looking  around  and  in  March, 
1905,  we  bought  what  we  thought  was  the  best  stock,  namely, 
the  Extra  Plymouth  Rock  Homers.  We  bought  twelve 
pairs.  The  birds  arrived  on  March  22,  1905,  and  were  as 
fine  a  looking  lot  of  birds  as  we  had  seen  anywhere.  We  now 
(December,  1906)  have  three  hundred  pairs.  One  hundred  and 
fifty  pairs  are  well  mated  and  working.  The  other  one 
hundred  and  fifty  pairs  are  all  young  birds.  We  raised  all 
our  young  birds  up  until  September,  1906,  and  since  then  have 
been  selling  squabs  weighing  from  nine  and  one-quarter  to 
ten  and  one-half  pounds  and  receive  twenty-three  and 
twenty -five  cents  each.  We  feed  the  best  of  grain,  using 
cracked  corn,  kaffir  corn,  red  wheat,  buckwheat  and  peas  and 
a  little  hemp.  We  also  give  a  little  rice  once  or  twice  a  week. 
During  the  moulting  season  we  added  barley  to  regular 


20       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

rations,  which  was  a  great  help  to  the  birds  all  that  time.  We 
use  the  self-feeder  as  described  by  Mr.  Rice  in  his  Manual  and 
we  find  with  it  the  grain  is  always  clean.  We  have  made  the 
feeding  question  one  of  the  most  important  of  all  and  find 
that  the  best  results  are  obtained  by  keeping  plenty  of  grain 
and  good  clean  drinking  water  before  the  birds  at  all  times. 
The  drinking  fountains  used  are  automatic  and  are  scalded 
once  each  week.  About  once  a  week  we  give  a  teaspoonful 
of  gentian  to  a  gallon  of  water.  We  keep  fresh  water  in  the 
flying  pens  for  bathing  purpose  at  all  times  during  the  summer, 
and  in  the  winter  we  allow  our  birds  to  bathe  twice  a  week  at 
noontime.  One  thing  that  is  very  essential  with  pigeons  is 
to  be  kept  clean.  Our  houses  and  nests  are  cleaned  every 
week  and  we  also  spray  the  floors,  nests  and  walk  with  a 
liquid  disinfectant.  We  have  never  been  troubled  with  lice, 
vermin  or  any  disease  of  any  kind.  For  nesting  material  we 
use  tobacco  stems,  cutting  them  into  pieces  of  about  six 
inches,  which  we  consider  the  best  material  for  the  purpose, 
and  also  a  safeguard  against  lice.  We  feel  satisfied  with 
what  our  birds  are  doing  and  have  done  in  the  past,  so  well 
satisfied,  in  fact,  that  we  have  now  under  construction  build- 
ings that  will  accommodate  nearly  one  thousand  pairs  of  birds. 
And  the  cost  of  keeping  or  feeding  will  not  exceed  one  dollar 
a  year  per  pair,  so  that  squabs  selling  from  two  dollars  to 
three  dollars  per  dozen  are  sure  to  leave  a  good  profit." 

Looking  at  the  financial  showing  of  the  Lunn  boys,  made 
in  twenty-two  months,  we  find  that  starting  with  twelve 
pairs,  for  which  they  paid  us  thirty  dollars,  they  raised  three 
hundred  pairs,  worth  at  the  same  rate  seven  hundred  and 
fifty  dollars.  From  this  must  be  deducted  the  grain  which 
they  bought  in  that  period.  They  start  the  new  year  with  a 
fine  plant  capable  of  earning  a  big  percentage  of  profit  on  its 
valuation. 


CHAPTER  II. 

AN  EASY  START. 

No  Special  Form  of  Building  Necessary — Points  to  Remember 
— Shelter  Adapted  to  the  Climate — How  to  Use  a  Building 
which  you  Now  Have — Squab  House  and  Flying  Pen — 
Lining  the  Squab  House  with  Nests — Use  of  Egg  Crates — '• 

How  to  Put  up  the  Perches — Difference  between  the  Nest 
Box,  Nest  Pan  and  Nest — How  to  Tell  How  Many  Pigeons 
can  Occupy  a  Certain  Building — A  Large  Flock  of  Pigeons 
is  Easily  Cared  for  when  Split  up  into  Small  Flocks — 

How  to  Use  Your  Time  to  Best  Advantage. 

Do  not  get  the  idea  that  any  special  form  of  building  is 
necessary  to  raise  squabs.  We  will  tell  you  how  to  put  up  a 
structure  that  will  make  your  work  easier  for  you,  and  enable 
you  to  handle  a  big  flock  fast  and  accurately,  but  pigeons 
will  work  in  almost  any  place,  if  it  is  free  from  rats,  darkness 
and  the  musty  dampness  which  goes  with  darkness.  Any 
building,  whether  a  woodshed,  a  corn  crib,  a  barn,  an  outhouse 
of  any  description,  or  even  a  hog  pen,  can  be  made  a  successful 
home  for  pigeons  with  a  little  work. 

The  points  to  remember  are  these,  first,  that  the  building 
be  on  fairly  level,  sunny  ground;  second,  that  it  be  raised 
from  the  ground  so  that  rats  cannot  breed  under  it  out  of  sight 
and  reach;  third,  that  it  ought  to  be  fairly  tight,  so  as  to  keep 
out  rain  and  excessive  cold.  Pigeons  ought  to  have  sunlight 
and  fresh  air,  like  any  other  animal,  and  need  protection  from 
the  elements. 

In  practice,  therefore,  most  squab  houses  are  found  raised 
on  posts  a  foot  or  two  feet  off  the  ground;  they  face  the 
south  (here  in  New  England)  because  most  of  our  bitter 
weather  comes  from  the  north  and  east.  If  you  live  in  a 
State,  territory  or  foreign  country  where  conditions  are 
different,  adapt  your  squab  houses  to  those  conditions.  In 
some  localities,  the  fierce  weather  comes  from  the  south  and 
west,  in  which  case  your  stjuab  house  should  face  the  north 
or  east. 

Here  in  New  England  we  build  a  tight  house  to  withstand 

21 


CHEAP  BUT  PRACTICAL  NEST  BOXES. 

These  are  empty  egg  crates  piled  one  atop  another  from  floor  to  roof  of  squab 
house.  Each  egg  crate  is  two  feet  long,  one  foot  wide  and  one  foot  deep.  The 
partition  in  the  middle  makes  two  nest  boxes,  each  one  foot  square.  Into  each  of 
these  nest  boxes  a  wood  nest  bowl  is  placed.  The  birds  build  their  nests  in  these 
wood  nest  bowls. 


22 


,47V  EASY  START  23 

the  cold  winters,  but  in  the  South  the  buildings  are  more  open. 
Be  guided  by  what  you  see  around  you  in  the  place  where  you 
live.  If  the  houses  used  by  your  friends  and  neighbors  for 
hens  and  chickens  are  tight  and  warm,  make  your  squab 
house  tight  and  warm.  It  would  be  foolish  for  you,  for 
example,  if  you  live  in  Texas,  to  build  a  strong,  tight,  close 
squab  house,  for  in  that  latitude,  in  a  henhouse  built  tight 
and  close,  vermin  would  swarm  and  harass  the  chicks,  and 
they  would  harass  the  squabs  just  as  fast. 

Some  of  our  customers  write  from  places  like  Oregon  and 
Idaho,  where  there  is  a  wet  and  a  dry  season,  and  are  puzzled 
to  know  what  to  do.  In  such  cases  we  say,  arrange  your 
buildings  as  you  see  poultry  houses  arranged.  The  pigeons 
will  do  as  well  under  the  same  conditions  as  hens  and  chickens. 

Suppose  you  have  a  vacant  building  or  shack  of  any  kind 
in  which  you  wish  to  raise  squabs.  We  will  take  for  granted 
that  it  has  either  a  flat  roof  or  a  ridgepole  with  sloping  roof, 
and  that  it  is  built  in  rectangular  form.  Never  mind  what 
the  dimensions  are;  our  advice  will  apply  to  either  the  large 
or  the  small  structure. 

First  raise  it  off  the  ground,  or  build  a  new  floor  off  the 
ground,  so  that  rats  cannot  breed  out  of  your  sight  in  the 
darkness  and  get  up  into  the  squab  house.  If  there  is  an  old 
floor,  patch  up  all  the  holes  in  it.  Now  you  need  one  door, 
to  get  yourself  in  and  out  of  the  squab  house,  and  you  need 
at  least  one  window  through  which  the  pigeons  can  fly  from 
the  squab  house  into  the  flying  pen  and  back  from  the  flying 
pen  into  the  house.  You  will  shut  this  window  on  cold  nights, 
or  on  cold  winter  days.  You  must  cover  the  whole  window 
with  wire  netting  so  that  the  birds  cannot  break  the  panes 
of  glass  by  flying  against  them.  If  you  have  no  wire  netting 
over  the  window,  some  of  the  birds,  when  it  is  closed,  will 
not  figure  out  for  themselves  that  the  glass  stops  their  progress, 
but  will  bang  against  the  panes  at  full  speed,  sometimes  hurting 
their  heads  and  dazing  them  and  at  other  times  breaking  the 
glass. 

The  flying  pen  which  you  will  build  on  the  window  side  of 
the  squab  house  may  be  as  small  or  as  large  as  you  have  room. 
The  idea  of  it  is  not  to  give  the  birds  an  opportunity  for  long 
flight,  but  simply  to  get  them  out  into  the  open  air  and  sun- 
light. They  enjoy  the  sun  very  much,  it  does  them  good 


AN  EASY  START  25 

and  they  court  its  direct  rays  all  the  time.  Build  the  flying 
pen,  if  you  choose,  up  over  the  roof,  so  the  birds  may  sun 
themselves  there.  If  that  side  of  the  roof  which  faces  the 
flying  pen  is  too  steep  for  the  pigeons  to  get  a  foothold,  nail 
footholds  along  the  roof,  same  as  carpenters  use.  when  they 
are  shingling  a  roof,  and  the  pigeons  will  rest  on  these  to  sun 
themselves.  For  the  flying  pen  you  want  the  ordinary 
poultry  netting,  either  of  one-inch  or  two-inch  mesh.  The 
two-inch  mesh  is  almost  invariably  used  by  squab  raisers,; 
because  it  is  very  much  cheaper  than  the  one-inch  mesh. 
The  one-inch  mesh  is  used  only  by  squab  raisers  who  are  afraid 
that  small  birds  (the  English  sparrows  here  in  New  England) 
will  steal  through  the  large  meshes  of  the  two-inch  netting 
and  eat  the  grain  which  you  have  bought  for  the  pigeons.  / 
You  can  buy  this  wire  netting  in  rolls  of  any  width  from  one 
foot  up  to  six  feet.  If  your  flying  pen  is  twelve  feet  high, 
you  should  use  rolls  of  the  six-foot  wire.  If  it  is  ten  feet  high, 
rolls  which  are  five  feet  wide  are  what  you  want.  If  your 
flying  pen  is  to  be  eight  feet  high,  buy  rolls  which  are  four 
feet  wide.  In  joining  one  width  of  wire  netting  to  its  neighbor, 
in  constructing  your  flying  pen,  do  not  cut  small  pieces  of  tie 
wire  and  tie  them  together,  for  that  takes  too  much  time  and 
is  a  bungling  job,  but  buy  a  coil  of  No.  18  or  20  iron  wire  and 
weave  this  from  one  selvage  to  another  of  your  wire  netting 
in  and  out  of  the  meshes,  and  you  have  the  best  joint. 

You  can  line  the  three  walls  of  the  interior  of  your  squab 
house  with  nest  boxes  if  you  choose.  The  fourth  wall  is  the 
one  in  which  the  window  or  windows  are.  On  this  fourth 
wall  you  should  not  have  nest  boxes,  but  perches.  These  < 
perches,  or  roosts,  should  be  tacked  up  about  fifteen  inches 
apart,  so  as  to  give  the  birds  room  without  interfering  with 
one  another.  The  advantage  of  the  V-shaped  roost  which  we 
advise  is  that  a  bird  perched  on  it  cannot  soil  the  bird  under- 
neath. Do  not  buy  the  patent  pigeon  roosts  which  you  see 
advertised,  for  a  pigeon  roosting  on  one  will  soil  the  pigeon 
roosting  on  the  one  immediately  below. 

Please  note  particularly  at  this  point  the  following  terms 
which  we  use,, and  do  not  become  confused.  The  nest  box 
is  something  in  which  rests  the  nest  bowl  in  which  the  nest 
is  built.  Do  not  speak  or  think  of  nests  when  you  mean  nest 
boxes. 


AN  EASY  START  27 

The  nest  boxes,  when  done,  should  look  like  the  pigeon-holes 
of  a  desk,  and  should  be  about  one  foot  high,  one  foot  wide 
and  one  foot  deep.  A  variation  either  way  of  an  inch  or 
two  will  not  matter. 

One  way  to  get  these  pigeon-holes  is  to  build  them  of  nice 
pine  lumber,  in  the  form  of  boxing  one-half  or  five-eighths 
of  an  inch  thick.  Another  way  is  to  use  hemlock  or  spruce 
boards  one  inch  thick.  The  third  way  (which  we  think  is 
the  best  for  the  beginner  who  wishes  to  start  most  cheaply  and 
quickly)  is  to  use  egg  crates,  or  orange  boxes.  These  egg 
crates  are  two  feet  long,  one  foot  wide  and  one  foot  deep, 
but  they  are  divided  in  the  middle  by  a  partition,  giving  two 
spaces,  each  of  a  cubic  foot,  and  this  is  just  what  the  squab 
raiser  wants.  They  are  procurable  almost  anywhere  in  the 
United  States  and  Canada  new  for  ten  or  fifteen  cents  each, 
and  if  you  buy  them  after  the  egg  shippers  are  through  with 
them,  you  can  get  them  for  three  to  five  cents  apiece.  Some 
grocers  will  be  glad  to  have  you  carry  them  away  and  will 
charge  you  nothing  for  them.  The  crates  are  built  of  thin, 
tough  wood  and  usually  are  neat  and  solid.  Take  off  the 
covers  and  throw  the  covers  away, — you  do  not  need  them. 
Then  put  one  egg  crate  on  its  side,  open  top  out,  place 
another  egg  crate  on  top  of  that,  and  so  on  until  you  have 
covered  the  three  walls  of  your  squab  house  from  the  floor 
to  the  roof.  Do  not  use  any  nails,  they  are  not  necessary : 
the  crates  will  keep  in  position  by  their  weight.  It  is  an 
advantage,  also,  to  have  them  loose,  for  when  you  clean  the 
nests,  you  can  step  up  on  a  chair  or  box,  take  down  the  crates, 
commencing  with  the  top,  and  clean  each  one  with  your  feet 
on  the  floor.  If  you  build  a  substantial  set  of  nest  boxes  of 
boxing  or  hemlock  lumber,  you  will  have  to  stand  on  a  chair 
and  strain  your  arms  in  order  to  clean  the  top  nest  boxes, 
so  you  see  there  are  points  in  the  low-priced  arrangement 
not  possessed  by  the  fancy  kind.  It  is  on  the  same  principle 
by  which  a  humble  small  boy  with  bent  pin  and  worms  and  an 
old  pole  catches  more  fish  than  the  city  angler  with  a  twenty- 
five  dollar  assortment  of  hooks,  lines  and  artificial  flies.  It 
is  the  pigeons  and  the  intelligence  behind  them  which  do  the 
trick,  every  time.  A  fancy  pigeon  house  with  fancy  trimmings 
cannot  produce  any  better  squabs  than  the  home-made  affair, 
provided  the  birds  are  the  same  in  both  cases, 


NEST  BOXES  BUILT  OF  LUMBER. 

This  shows  the  front  of  the  nest  boxes  as  they  face  the  interior  of  the  squab 
house.  They  are  from  ten  to  twelve  inches  square,  and  the  same  distance  deep. 
A  slight  variation  does  not  matter.  The  fronts  of  the  nest  boxes  are  perfectly  plain, 
as  shown.  It  is  not  necessary  to  nail  up  pieces  of  board  to  keep  the  squabs  from 
falling  out.  They  will  not  fall  out. 


28 


AN  EASY  START  29 

You  should  have  a  pair  of  nest  boxes  for  a  pair  of  pigeons. 
By  a  pair  of  pigeons  we  mean  two  pigeons,  a  male  and  a 
female.  By  a  pair  of  nest  boxes  we  mean  two  nest  boxes. 
We  find  that  the  word  pair  has  a  different  meaning  to  people 
in  different  parts  of  the  country,  perhaps  on  the  same  principle 
that  a  pair  of  scissors  or  a  pair  of  suspenders  is  one  object, 
while  a  pair  of  something  else,  as  in  this  case,  means  two 
objects.  A  pair  of  pigeons  attend  to  a  pair  of  squabs  in  one 
nest  box,  nevertheless  for  each  pair  of  pigeons  you  need  two 
nest  boxes,  for  when  the  squabs  are  about  two  weeks  old  in 
one  nest,  the  old  birds  will  go  to  the  adjoining  nest  box,  or  to 
a  nest  box  in  a  distant  part  of  the  squab  house,  and  begin 
housekeeping  again,  laying  eggs  and  dividing  their  attention 
between  the  two  families. 

Count  your  nest  boxes  and  you  will  know  how  many 
pigeons  your  house  will  accommodate.  If  your  count  shows 
ninety-six  nest  boxes  (in  other  words,  forty-eight  pairs  of  nest 
boxes),  you  can  accommodate  (in  theory)  forty-eight  pairs 
of  pigeons.  It  is  important  to  remember  this:  Never  fill 
a  house  with  pigeons  to  the  uttermost  limit  of  its  capacity, 
as  shown  by  count  of  nest  boxes.  If  you  have,  for  example, 
forty -eight  pairs  of  nest  boxes,  do  not  put  into  that  house ! 
more  than  thirty  to  forty  pairs  of  pigeons.  That  will  leave  I 
plenty  of  nest  boxes  for  the  birds  to  choose  from.  We  have 
found  by  experience  that  thirty  or  thirty-five  pairs  in  a 
ninety-six  nest-box  house  will  accomplish  more  than  more 
pairs  in  the  same  space. 

Do  not  write  us  and  tell  us  that  you  have  a  house  of  a 
certain  size  and  ask  us  to  tell  you  how  many  pairs  of  pigeons 
it  will  accommodate.  Put  in  your  nest  boxes  as  we  have 
described  and  then  count  them,  and  you  will  know.  Or  you 
may  figure  it  out  for  yourself  on  paper,  allowing  two  nest 
boxes,  each  one  cubic  foot  in  size,  for  each  pair  of  birds.  To 
put  it  in  another  way,  you  should  allow  one  cubic  foot  of  nest 
box  space  for  each  breeding  pigeon.  Surely  we  have  made 
this  so  plain  now  that  you  cannot  go  astray. 

Perhaps  your  start  will  be  made  with  so  small  a  number  of 
birds  that  you  will  not  have  to  cover  more  than  one  wall  of 
your  squab  house  with  nest  boxes.  Cover  one  wall,  or  two 
walls,  or  three  walls,  whichever  the  occasion  demands.  Have 
a  lot  of  spare  boxes,  and  let  the  breeding  pairs  choose  where 


BEST  NEST  BOX  CONSTRUCTION. 

When  the  nest  boxes  are  built  of  lumber  (one-half  an  inch  or  five-eighths  of  an 
inch  thick)  the  above  construction  should  be  employed.  The  bottoms  are  not 
nailed,  but  slide  in  on  cleats,  as  shown.  The  result  is  a  sliding  shelf.  This  shelf 
may  be  pulled  out  at  cleaning  time  and  a  better  and  quicker  job  of  cleaning  done. 

The  nest  bowls  may  be  screwed  directly  to  the  bottoms  of  the  above  nest  boxes. 
If  that  is  done,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  screw  the  nest  bowls  to  blocks  of  wood, 
to  give  them  stability. 

The  nest  boxes  should  be  from  ten  inches  to  twelve  inches  square. 


AN  EASY  START  31 

they  will.  An  extra  number  of  nest  boxes  may  be  useful 
to  you  to  accommodate  the  young  birds  raised  to  breeding 
age  from  the  old  birds  which  you  buy  of  us,  if  you  intend  to 
raise  your  squabs  to  breeding  age. 

An  expenditure  of  not  over  five  dollars,  and  a  couple  of 
days'  time,  will  transform  the  average  old  building  into  a 
habitation  for  squabs.  Put  on  the  finishing  touches  and  add 
to  the  expense  to  suit  your  fancy.  You  may  cover  the  out- 
side of  the  building  with  building  paper,  and  shingle  or  clap- 
board it.  You  may  put  a  skylight  in  the  roof  for  ventilation, 
Improve  it  all  you  wish.  Use  your  own  judgment. 

To  get  at  your  pigeons  in  such  a  house,  you  walk  in  through 
the  door  and  find  yourself  directly  among  them,  the  nest 
boxes  all  pointing  at  you.  Go  to  the  nest  which  you  wish  to 
investigate  or  from  which  you  wish  to  take  out  the  squabs 
and  put  your  hand  in  the  opening.  The  old  birds  will  fly 
by  your  head,  perhaps,  and  may  strike  you  with  their  wings, 
but  they  will  not  fly  into  your  face  and  eyes, — they  are  good 
dodgers.  Don't  be  afraid  that  if  you  enter  the  house  when 
the  housekeeping  is  going  on  you  will  frighten  the  birds  so 
they  never  will  come  back  to  the  eggs  or  the  squabs.  They 
will  seem  timid  at  first,  but  they  will  get  accustomed  to  you. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  weeks,  only  a  few  will  make  a  great 
hustle  to  get  away  from  you.  Many  of  them  will  continue 
to  sit  contentedly  on  the  eggs  and  if  you  put  up  your  hand 
to  them  they  will  not  fly  off  in  fear  but  will  slap  you  with 
their  wings,  telling  you  in  their  language  not  to  bother  them. 
Carry  some  hempseed  in  with  you  and  you  will  teach  the 
birds  to  come  and  eat  it  out  of  your  hand.  You  can  tame 
them  and  teach  them  to  love  you  as  any  animal  is  taught. 
The  pigeon,  particularly  the  Homer,  the  king  of  them  all,  is 
a  knowing  bird. 

Tadk  up  a  few  perches  where  you  have  room  on  that  wall 
or  those  walls  of  the  squab  house  which  have  no  nest  boxes. 
You  do  not  need  a  perch  for  every  pigeon,  because  while  some 
are  on  perches,  others  are  in  the  nests,  or  out  in  the  flying  pen, 
or  on  the  roof,  or  on  the  floor  of  the  squab  house.  If  you 
have  forty-eight  pigeons,  twenty  perches  will  be  enough,  and 
you  can  get  along  with  a  dozen.  Make  each  perch  of  two 
pieces  of  board,  one  six  inches  square,  the  other  six  inches 
by  five,  and  toe-nail  the  perch  to  the  wall  of  the  squab  house 


82 


AN  EASY  START  33 

as  shown  in  the  illustration.  You  cannot  have  one  long 
pole  inside  the  squab  house  for  a  pigeon  perch.  If  you  had 
such  a  pole,  and  your  pigeons  were  perched  on  it,  or  some 
of  them  were,  a  bully  cock  would  saunter  down  the  line  and 
push  off  all  the  others. 

In  the  centre  of  the  squab  house  you  place  an  empty  crate 
or  overturned  box.  The  object  of  this  is  to  break  the  force 
of  the  wind  made  by  the  pigeons'  wings  as  they  fly  in  and  out 
of  the  squab  house.  Otherwise  the  floor  of  the  squab  house 
would  be  swept  clean  by  the  force  of  the  wind.  It  also  forms 
a  roosting-place  for  the  birds,  and,  finally,  it  is  a  convenient 
resting-place  for  the  straw,  hay,  grass  or  pine  needles  out  of 
which  the  pigeons  build  their  nests. 

The  floor  of  the  squab  house  should  be  kept  clean.  We 
formerly  advised  that  a  layer  of  sand  or  sawdust  half  an 
inch  thick  be  kept  on  the  floor  of  the  squab  house,  to  absorb 
the  droppings,  but  we  have  found  a  steady  and  profitable 
demand  for  pigeon  manure,  and  this  manure  is  worth  scraping 
up  and  carefully  saving,  for  its  sale  will  pay  from  one-quarter 
to  one-third  of  the  grain  bill.  Use  an  ice  chisel  to  scrape  the 
droppings  from  the  floor,  and  pack  the  manure  away  in  barrels 
or  bags.  Clean  the  floor  about  once  in  three  weeks,  or  oftener, 
depending  on  the  size  of  your  flock.  Pigeon  manure  is  in 
active  demand  all  the  time  by  tanneries.  We  send  the 
manure  from  our  pigeons  by  freight  to  tanneries  in  Lowell, 
Lynn,  Peabody  and  Danvers,  and  are  paid  for  it  at  the  rate 
of  sixty  cents  a  bushel. 

We  have  a  building  eighty  feet  long  built  especially  for  the 
drying  and  storing  of  the  manure.  During  the  years  we  have 
been  in  the  squab  business,  we  have  sold  enough  pigeon 
manure  to  pay  for  nearly  all  the  pigeon  buildings  on  our  farm. 
Some  pigeon  raisers  with  crude  methods  know  nothing  of  the 
value  of  the  manure  and  lose  this  by-product.  They  either 
ruin  it  by  putting  sand  or  sawdust  on  the  floor  of  the  squab 
house,  or  else  waste  it  on  their  gardens.  The  pure  manure 
is  too  valuable  for  home  use.  To  fertilize  our  flower  and 
vegetable  gardens,  and  hay  field,  we  scrape  up  from  the 
flying  pens,  outdoors,  the  gravel  which  has  become  saturated 
with  manure.  It  is  surprising  what  an  increase  in  vegetation 
this  manure-soaked  gravel  will  cause.  Fresh  gravel  is  put 
down  in  the  flying  pens. 


34       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

A  peculiarity  about  pigeon  manure  is  that  it  is  not  foul- 
smelling  like  hen  manure,  and  when  it  is  mixed  with  water 
you  get  a  kind  of  crude  soap.  In  washing  the  old-style 
earthenware  nest  bowls,  no  soap  was  necessary.  We  used 
warm  water  in  washing  them  and  the  manure  caked  to  them 
formed  a  cleansing  soap  in  conjunction  with  the  water.  If 
you  have  a  basket  in  which  you  have  transported  pigeons, 
and  whose  bottom  is  caked  with  the  hard  droppings,  lay  the 
basket  face  down  and  sprinkle  water  liberally  on  the  under- 
side. The  manure  will  drop  off  in  large  pieces  from  the 
inside  and  the  basket  will  become  perfectly  clean. 

In  raising  live-stock  of  any  kind,  arrange  matters  so  the 
animals  will  look  after  themselves  as  much  as  possible.  Aim 
to  cut  down  the  factor  of  personal  drudgery,  so  as  to  leave 
your  time  clear  to  observe,  plan,  and  execute  intelligently. 
Beginners  who  load  themselves  down  with  a  daily  round  of 
exacting  duties  soon  lose  heart,  their  patience  gives  out  and 
they  become  disgusted.  We  have  known  breeders  of  rabbits 
to  fail  simply  because  they  raised  them  in  hutches.  Each 
hutch  had  a  door  and  two  dishes,  one  for  feed,  the  other  for 
water.  Every  day,  the  door  of  the  hutch  had  to  be  opened, 
the  hutch  cleaned,  the  dishes  refilled  (and  often  cleaned),  and 
the  door  closed.  It  took  fifteen  or  twenty  motions  to  do  this 
for  each  hutch.  Multiply  this  by  twenty  to  thirty  (the 
number  of  the  hutches),  and  the  burden  grew  unbearable. 
It  was  not  surprising  that  in  three  or  four  months  the  breeder's 
patience  was  worn  out.  The  factor  of  personal  drudgery  had 
become  greater  than  the  rabbits.  The  thoughtful  breeder 
would  have  turned  his  rabbits  into  two  or  three  enclosures  on 
the  ground  and  let  them  shift  for  themselves.  Then  one  set 
of  motions  in  feeding  would  have  answered  for  all,  and  there 
would  have  been  no  dirt  to  clean  up.  Infinite  patience  as 
,.  well  as  skill  is  required  to  make  a  success  of  animals  given 
individual  attention.  The  aim  of  every  breeder  should  be  to 
make  one  minute  of  his  time  serve  the  greatest  possible  num- 
ber of  animals.  When  you  think  and  reason  for  yourself, 
you  understand  how  much  more  practical  it  is  to  give  sixty 
animals  one  minute  of  your  time  than  one  animal  one  minute. 
Time  is  money  and  if  you  are  too  particular,  and  too  fussy, 
and  thoughtless  about  these  details,  it  is  a  clear  case  of  the 
chances  being  sixty  to  one  against  you. 


AN  EASY  START  35 

At  the  start,  the  problem  of  breeding  squabs  for  market 
is  in  your  favor,  because  one  hundred  pairs  of  breeding 
pigeons  may  be  handled  as  easily  and  as  rapidly  as  one  pair. 
Try  to  keep  this  numerical  advantage  in  your  favor  all  the 
time.  Discard  every  plan  that  cuts  down  the  efficiency  of 
your  own  labor,  and  adopt  every  device  that  will  give  you 
control  in  the  same  time  over  a  greater  number  of  pigeons. 

It  takes  brains  and  skilled  labor  to  run  a  poultry  plant 
successfully.  Every  poultryman  knows  that  he  cannot 
entrust  the  regulation  of  temperatures  of  incubators  and 
brooders  to  an  ignorant  hired  man,  but  even  a  boy  or  girl,  or 
under-the-average  farm  hand,  knows  enough  to  fill  up  the 
bath  pans  and  feeding  troughs  for  squab -breeders,  leaving 
the  time  of  the  owner  free  for  correspondence  and  the  more 
skilful  work. 

The  primary  object  is  to  breed  squabs  for  market  as  cheaply, 
as  easily  and  as  fast  as  possible,  without  the  expenditure  of  a 
dollar  for  fanciful  or  impractical  appurtenances. 

Do  not  think  it  is  necessary  to  heat  your  squab  house.  A 
squab  house  which  has  the  chill  of  dampness  taken  off  it  by 
hot  water  or  steam  pipes  will  raise  more  squabs  than  a  house 
not  heated,  but  a  flock  of  pigeons  in  a  small  house  throw  off 
considerable  heat  from  their  bodies  and  will  breed  in  cold 
weather  all  right.  After  you  have  developed  your  plant  and 
have  a  large  business  which  you  wish  to  keep  at  the  highest 
state  of  efficiency,  you  may  heat  your  squab  house.  The  idea 
of  heat  in  winter  time  is  to  keep  the  birds  more  contented  and 
get  more  squabs  out  of  them,  and  not  at  all  to  keep  them 
alive.  Do  not  be  afraid  that  your  pigeons  will  freeze  to 
death.  We  have  many  customers  in  Canada.  In  coldest 
weather,  the  old  birds  hover  the  squabs  more  carefully. 

City  people  can  keep  pigeons  in  the  garret  of  a  house,  or  the 
loft  of  a  barn,  without  a  foot  of  ground  being  needed.  In 
such  a  case  the  flying  pen,  or  place  to  which  the  pigeons  go 
for  sun  and  air,  can  be  built  out  on  a  platform.  The  illus- 
tration (page  24)  shows  how  to  utilize  a  window  of  a  garret. 
If  you  think  that  rats  will  trouble  you  in  either  a  garret  or 
barn  loft,  cover  the  floor  inside,  especially  the  corners,  with 
fine  wire  netting  through  which  it  will  be  impossible  for  the 
rats  to  gnaw  from  below. 

One  of  our  customers  in  Illinois,  a  rich  horse  breeder  having 


36       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

a  barn  some  two  hundred  feet  long,  turned  the  whole 
upper  story  into  a  loft  for  pigeons.  The  flying  pen  takes  in 
the  whole  back  of  the  barn.  There  are  windows  and  no  doors 
on  this  side  of  the  barn,  the  horses  using  doors  on  the  other 
side,  so  this  leaves  the  upper  story  of  the  barn,  and  its  whole 
back-yard,  free  for  the  pigeons. 


A  PRETTY  SQUAB   HOUSE  AND  FLYING  PEN. 


CHAPTER  III. 

THE  UNIT  HOUSE. 

Best  Possible  Construction  for  a  Squab  Plant — The  Wind- 
Break  Formation  of  Roof  —  Dimensions  of  the  Unit  — 
Multiplying  the  Unit  to  Increase  the  Capacity  of  Your 
Plant  —  A  Passageway  behind  the  Nest  Boxes  —  Number- 
ing the  Nest  Boxes,  and  the  Management  of  a  Card  Index  to 
Correspond  —  Cost  of  the  Unit  Construction  is  from  Three 
Dollars  to  Five  Dollars  a  Running  Foot  —  Working  Drawings 
-  The  Nest  Bowls. 

If  you  have  no  building  already  standing  which  you  can  fix 
over  for  pigeons,  you  may  erect  a  simple  rectangular  structure 
and  line  it  with  nest  boxes  as  we  have  described  in  the  last 
chapter.  We  will  tell  you  in  this  chapter  how  to  put  up  the 
finest  kind  of  a  pigeon  structure.  It  is  at  the  same  time  the 
most  expensive.  It  is  the  best,  the  most  workmanlike.  In 
saying  that  it  is  expensive,  we  do  not  mean  that  money  is 
thrown  away  on  its  construction,  for  that  is  not  so.  It  is  a 
fit  habitation  for  a  money-making  investment. 

This  best  method  of  construction  results  in  what  we  call  the 
unit  house.  You  can  multiply  this  unit  as  many  times  as  you 
please  and  get  as  large  a  house  as  you  wish,  or  you  may  add 
a  unit  from  time  to  time,  just  as  you  add  unit  bookcases  to 
accommodate  the  growth  of  the  modern  library  shelves. 
You  can  erect  these  units  separately,  or  attach  one  unit  to  the 
other  so  that  you  have  one  long  building. 

The  nest  boxes  are  built  of  boxing  and  set  in  a  vertical  row 
at  the  back  of  the  house,  forming  a  wall  between  which  and 
the  north  side  of  the  house  is  a  three-foot  passageway.  You 
can  buy  this  boxing  at  a  saw-mill  all  cut,  ten  by  eleven  inches, 
the  dimensions  of  the  nest,  and  if  you  get  it  in  this  shape  you 
can  put  the  boxes  together  with  as  much  ease  as  a  child  builds 
a  doll's  house.  You  will  have  no  doubts  as  to  the  squareness 
and  plumbness  of  the  structure  when  you  have  it  up.  Take 
long  lengths  of  boxing  eleven  inches  wide  for  the  shelving 
which  should  form  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  nest  boxes,  then 
set  the  ten-inch  by  eleven-inch  pieces  the  proper  distance 

37 


si 

o 

2 

to 


THE    a  NIT  HOUSE  39 

apart.  The  finished  nest  will  be  eleven  inches  from  front  to 
back,  ten  inches  from  top  to  bottom,  and  about  ten  inches 
from  one  partition  to  the  other  (or  whatever  distance  the 
proper  distribution  of  your  nests  in  pairs  permits). 

We  have  found  five-eighths-inch  boxing  to  -  be  the  best 
suited.  Build  the  nest  boxes  up  from  floor  to  roof  perfectly 
plain,  just  as  the  pigeon-holes  of  a  desk  run. 

The  nest  boxes  should  be  perfectly  plain,  made  of  simple 
boxing  in  the  manner  described.  Do  not  build  up  a  piece  of 
boxing  at  the  front  part  of  the  nest  to  prevent  the  nest  bowl 
from  being  pushed  out.  Early  in  our  experience  we  built 
nests  in  this  way,  but  soon  changed  them  over  to  the  simpler 
form,  on  account  of  the  difficulty  of  keeping  them  clean.  The 
droppings  bank  up  at  the  front  of  such  a  nest  box. 

Pigeons,  especially  a  new  flock  in  a  new  home,  breed  best 
in  a  house  which  is  somewhat  dark,  and  not  too  glaring  with 
light.  If  your  window  is  situated  so  as  to  let  in  a  flood  of 
light,  you  will  get  better  and  quicker  results  by  shading  it  so 
that  the  interior  will  be  dim.  Some  breeders  advocate  that 
the  nest  boxes  have  fronts  of  wood  (removable)  so  that  the 
nest  box  will  be  darkened.  The  same  result  will  be  accom- 
plished if  the  window  of  the  house  is  shaded  so  as  to  temper 
the  light  and  prevent  it  from  streaming  into  the  nest  boxes. 

The  dimensions  of  this  unit  squab  house  are  as  follows: 
Length,  sixteen  feet;  width,  twelve  feet;  length  of  flying  pen 
from  end  of  house  to  end  of  yard,  twenty  feet;  distance  from 
floor  of  squab  house  to  ridgepole,  twelve  feet;  two  windows 
in  south  wall  of  squab  house,  each  two  feet  two  inches  wide 
and  three  feet  ten  inches  high.  One  window  in  north  wall  of 
squab  house,  two  feet  two  inches  wide  and  three  feet  ten 
inches  high.  There  is  a  passageway  on  the  north  side  of  the 
squab  house  three  feet  wide,  separating  the  north  wall  from 
the  vertical  row  of  nest  boxes.  The  door  of  the  squab  house 
opens  into  this  passageway  so  that  you  can  enter  the  house 
without  being  seen  by  the  birds,  and  without  disturbing  them. 

If  you  wish,  you  can  set  up  rows  of  nest  boxes  on  the 
east  and  west  walls  of  the  squab  house  and  accommodate  more 
pairs.  You  cannot  have  a  passageway  behind  these  nest 
boxes  on  the  east  and  west  walls,  but  will  approach  them 
from  the  front  by  entering  the  interior  of  the  squab  house 
through  a  wire  door  which  leads  from  the  passageway. 


INTERIOR   OF  MULTIPLE  UNIT  HOUSE. 

This  is  one  of  our  houses.  The  drinking  fountains  stand  in  the  passageway  and 
their  fronts  project  through  the  wire  netting  under  the  first  row  of  nest  boxes.  The 
nest  boxes  are  empty  egg  crates.  The  feed  troughs  are  inside  of  each  pen.  In 
other  houses,  we  set  the  feed  troughs  alongside  the  drinkers  in  the  alleyway  and 
cut  away  the  netting  so  the  birds  can  feed  from  them.  We  like  the  last  arrange- 
ment best  because  the  troughs  can  be  filled  more  quickly  from  the  passageway,  and 
the  time  of  opening  and  closing  doors  and  going  into  pens  is  saved. 


44) 


THE    UNIT  HOUSE  41 

Build  the  first  unit  so  that  you  can  extend  it  either  to  the 
east  or  west  (as  your  land  lies)  to  increase  your  accommoda- 
tions. Your  squab  house  will  always  remain  sixteen  feet 
from  north  to  south,  but  it  may  be  either  twelve  feet  from 
east  to  west,  for  one  unit,  or  twenty -four  feet  for  two  units, 
or  thirty-six  feet  for  three  units,  and  so  on.  Of  course  you 
can  build  one  long  house  sixteen  feet  wide  and  in  length  any 
multiple  of  twelve,  and  keep  all  the  birds  you  wish  in  it,  but 
we  do  not  advise  such  an  arrangement.  You  can  keep  track 
of  your  pairs  better  if  you  split  a  big  flock  up  into  unit  flocks. 

Fanciers  breeding  flying  Homers  from  our  birds,  or  squab- 
raisers  who  wish  to  keep  track  of  every  pair  of  birds,  can 
provide  a  card  index  (the  cards  being  perfectly  blank  and 
three  by  five  inches  in  size),  number  the  cards  to  corre- 
spond with  the  nest  boxes,  and  on  these  cards  keep  a  record 
of  what  the  birds  in  the  nest  boxes  do.  These  cards,  which 
are  blank  except  for  the  numbers  they  bear,  can  be  kept  in  a 
tray  such  as  the  manufacturers  of  card  indexes  advertise  in  the 
back  pages  of  the  magazines  and  you  can  pick  out  any  card 
you  wish,  or  turn  to  it,  at  once:  "  It  is  much  better  than 
keeping  a  record  in  a  book,  for  you  cannot  tear  out  the  leaves 
of  a  book,  as  you  can  throw  away  a  card,  nor  can  you  shift  one 
page  from  one  location  to  another,  as  you  can  a  card  in  a  tray. 

The  floor  of  the  squab  house  rests  on  cedar  posts  and  is 
two  feet  from  the  ground.  The  floor  is  built  of  two  thick- 
nesses of  board,  with  building  paper  between.  The  walls  of 
the  squab  house  are  built  of  boards  which  are  covered  with 
building  paper  and  shingled.  The  roof  is  shingled.  You 
can  use  clapboards  on  the  sides,  or  common  boards. 

The  cost  of  such  a  squab  house,  complete  with  flying  pen 
and  all  inside  fittings,  built  in  the  best  possible  manner,  will 
be  from  three  dollars  to  five  dollars  a  running  foot.  That  is 
to  say,  a  unit  plant  twelve  feet  long  will  cost  from  thirty-six 
to  sixty  dollars.  A  plant  consisting  of  three  units,  thirty-six 
feet  long,  will  cost  from  one  hundred  and  eight  to  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars.  We  publish  and  sell  for  ten  cents 
working  drawings  showing  just  how  to  build  a  unit  in 
every  detail.  On  the  same  sheet  are  working  drawings 
for  building  a  simple  squab  house  (without  passageway)  to 
cost  from  fifteen  to  twenty-five  dollars.  Also  on  the  same 
sheet  we  give  data  showing  how  one  of  our  friends  built  a 


Q  £ 

IJ 

o  g 


THE    UNIT  HOUSE  43 

squab  house  and  pen  capable  of  accommodating  two  hundred 
and  twenty  pairs  of  breeders  at  a  cost  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty  dollars.  In  ordering,  simply  say  you  wish  plans  and 
specifications  for  squab  houses. 

Some  beginners  with  plenty  of  means  and  anxious  for  the 
best  construction  write  us  to  ask  if  a  cement  •  floor  is  not 
better  than  a  wood  floor.  A  cement  floor  is  positively 
wrong,  for  this  reason:  when  it  is  freshly  laid,  it  is  good, 
but  the  first  winter  causes  the  dirt  foundation  to  shrink  and 
swell,  then  come  cracks  in  the  cement.  Rats  and  mice  burrow 
in  the  dirt  up  to  the  cement  and  find  their  way  through  the 
cracks  to  the  squabs.  In  a  short  time,  they  are  a  nuisance. 
We  have  seen  a  squab  house  built  with  cement  floor  which 
cracked  as  described  and  every  time  the  owner  and  his  dog 
took  a  walk  down  the  alleyway,  they  found  rats  to  kill. 
Finally  the  whole  lot  of  cement  had  to  be  pounded  to  pieces, 
shoveled  up  and  carted  off.  The  way  to  stop  rats  and  mice 
is  to  erect  the  building  on  posts  as  we  have  described.  Rats 
and  mice  live  in  the  dirt  and  they  cannot  get  up  into  the 
squab  house.  Let  your  dog  or  cat  every  day  under  such  a 
house,  between  the  flooring  and  the  ground,  and  they  will 
keep  down  the  vermin  as  fast  as  they  show  themselves,  and 
your  squabs  never  will  be  troubled. 

In  our  early  plans  for  the  unit  squab  house,  we  provided 
for  a  building  with  a  "  jog  "  in  the  roof,  making  a  long,  low 
slope  for  the  south  side  of  the  roof,  and  on  this  slope  the 
birds  would  sun  themselves  and  make  love.  This  "  jog  " 
construction  is  more  expensive  than  is  needed,  and  now  we 
have  a  better  way.  We  have  an  ordinary  pitch  roof,  sloping 
equally  from  the  ridgepole  to  both  north  and  south.  We  run 
the  flying  pen  out  on  the  south  side,  not  from  the  ridgepole, 
but  from  the  eaves,  and  then  out  in  the  living  pen  we  erect 
perches  as  shown  in  the  picture.  The  fact  that  the  birds 
rest  easily  on  these  perches  (as  the  photograph  in  Appen- 
dix A  shows)  is  proof  that  they  are  contented  and  pleased 
by  such  an  arrangement.  We  have  found,  too,  that  they 
can  hear  the  squeaks  of  their  young  for  food  better  than  if 
they  are  up  on  the  roof,  and  better  attention  to  the  squabs 
is  the  result.  It  was  formerly  thought  unsafe  to  erect  perch- 
ing poles  in  the  flying  pen  directly  in  front  of  the  windows, 
the  fear  being  that  birds  darting  suddenly  out  of  the  windows 


44       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

would  strike  the  perching  poles  and  become  injured.  Such  a 
fear  goes  on  the  assumption  that  a  pigeon  cannot  take  care 
of  itself  in  flight.  They  are  quick  of  eye  and  quick  of  wing, 
and  are  intelligent  to  a  high  degree,  and  we  never  knew  a 
bird  to  be  injured  by  flying  against  horizontal  perches  in  the 
flying  pen.  They  never  strike  them  but  always  fly  between 
them  or  alight  on  them. 

Please  note  particularly  that  if  you  erect  one  ^ong  building 
which  will  be  a  multiple  of  units,  you  separate  these  units, 
both  inside  and  outside  of  the  squab  house,  not  by  board 
partitions,  but  by  wire  partitions.  For  instance,  if  you  have 
a  building  one  hundred  feet  long,  ten  units,  you  will  separate 
the  units  by  nine  wire  partitions,  these  partitions  being  erected 
both  inside  and  outside  the  house. 


CHAPTER  IV. 

NEST  BOWLS  AND  NESTS. 

Do  Not  Use  the  Old- Fashioned  Nest  Pans — -Obvious  Faults 
of  the .  Earthenware  Nappy —  The  Wood- Fibre  Nest   Bowl 
— How  the   Pigeons  Choose  Nest  Boxes — What  to  Use  for 
Nesting  Material — How  the  Birds  Manage  their  Nests. 

For  nest  pans,  do  not  use  the  heavy,  deep,  red  clay,  unglazed 
dishes  which  you  may  see  offered  for  sale  as  pigeon  nests. 
They  are  a  relic  of  the  past. 

In  our  early  experience  we  used  for  a  pigeon  nest  bowl 
che  common  kitchen  yellow  earthenware  nappy.  We  em- 
ployed two  sizes,  the  six-inch  and  the  seven-inch,  changing 
from  the  large  one  to  the  small  one  when  the  squabs  were 
two  weeks  old.  These  earthenware  nappies  filled  the  bill  in 
being  cheap  and  shallow,  and  the  pigeons  deposited  their 
manure  in  a  circle  outside  and  not  inside  the  nest,  but  they 
have  faults  which  are  obvious.  They  are  flat  and  not  round- 
ing on  the  bottom.  When  the  female  pigeon  turns  the  eggs 
(as  she  does  daily,  same  as  a  hen,  in  order  to  give  the  heat  of 
her  body  to  the  whole  shell  and  to  give  fresh  albumen  to  the 
germ)  the  eggs  are  liable  to  roll  apart,  making  it  necessary 
for  the  bird  to  gather  them  together  again,  and  after  two  or 
three  mishaps  like  this  she  is  liable  to  desert  them.  The 
earthenware  is  cold,  breakable  and  can  be  kept  clean  only 
with  water.  The  washing  of  the  nappies  becomes  a  tedious 
task  and  is  often  neglected.  In  winter  weather,  the  earthen- 
ware dishes  become  so  cold  that  one's  fingers  are  numbed 
by  handling  them — and  the  squabs  which  sit  in  them  are 
numbed,  even  frozen. 

Later  we  perfected  "a  nest  bowl  made  of  wood  which  met 
every  objection  raised  against  earthenware.  We  sold  thou- 
sands of  them  during  the  two  years  we  had  them  on  the  market 
and  they  gave  good  satisfaction  except  when  some  were 
made  of  improperly  seasoned  lumber,  in  which  case  they 
would  crack  and  split  after  a  few  months'  use.  After  study 
and  experiment  to  remove  this  objection,  we  had  expensive 
patterns  and  moulds  made  and  began  the  manufacture  of 

45 


OLD-STYLE  NEST  PAN.  WATER  DISH.    LARGE  NAPPY.     SMALL  NAPPY. 
Do  not  use  either  the  old-style  pigeon  nest  pan  or  open  water  dish. 


THE  WOOD-FIBRE  NEST  BOWL. 

This  is  made  in  one  size  (nine  inches  diameter  of  bowl).  To  give  stability,  the 
bowl  may  be  fastened  to  a  base  by  one  screw.  The  first  picture  shows  the  perspective 
view;  the  second  picture  shows  one-half  cut  away.  This  is  the  most  practical  nest 
pan  for  squab  raising  and  is  having  an  enormous  sale.  The  bowl  may  be  screwed 
directly  to  the  bottom  of  the  nest  box.  (See  page  48.) 


BATH  PAN  AND  DRINKER.  HAND  BASKET. 

One  bath  pan  to  every  twelve  pairs  of  birds  is  necessary.  The  hand  basket 
(price  $3.50)  is  used  in  large  plants  to  carry  the  squabs  from  the  nests  to  the  killing 
place.  The  squabs  should  not  be  killed  in  sight  of  the  parent  birds. 

46 


.NEST  BOWLS  AND   NESTS  47 

these  bowls  out  of  wood  fibre.  Their  success  was  quickly 
demonstrated  and  now  we  sell  nothing  else.  These  wood- 
fibre  nest  bowls  have  all  the  advantages  of  the  wood  bowls 
and  at  the  same  time  are  practically  indestructible,  cannot 
warp  or  split.  The  wood  fibre  of  which  they  are  made  is 
thick  and  exceedingly  tough,  being  solidified  under  many 
tons'  pressure.  After  making  they  are  treated  with  an 
odorless,  anti-moisture  compound  and  then  baked  to  flint- 
like  hardness.  We  sell  these  wood  fibre  nest  bowls  in  one 
size  only,  nine  inches  in  diameter.  Price,  eight  cents  each, 
ninety-six  cents  per  dozen,  eleven  dollars  and  fifty-two  cents 
per  gross.  We  make  prompt  shipment  from  Boston  same 
day  order  is  received,  in  any  quantity.  No  order  is  filled  for 
less  than  one  dozen.  We  have  the  exclusive  manufacture  and 
sale  of  these  goods  and  they  cannot  be  obtained  elsewhere. 

The  advantages  of  this  nest  pan  are  these:  (1)  The  eggs  roll 
to  the  centre  and  are  always  close  together  under  the  birds. 

(2)  It  is  warmer  than  earthenware  and  eggs  are  not  chilled. 

(3)  It  is  cleaned  without  water  by  means  of  a  trowel,  and 
may  then  be  whitewashed,  if  desired.     (4)  The  claws  of  the 
old  birds  and  squabs  do  not  sprawl,  and  no  cases  of  deformed 
legs  in   the   squabs   are  found.     (5)   It  is  unbreakable.     (6) 
When  shipped  either  short  or  long  distances,  no  packing  is 
necessary,   they   are  lighter  and  the  freight  bill  is   smaller. 
(7)   And  finally  the  birds  "  take  "  to  them  more  readily  than 
to  earthenware,  getting  to  work  more  quickly  and  producing 
more  squabs. 

We  make  this  wood  fibre  nest  bowl  in  only  one  size  as 
specified  and  illustrated  (two  sizes  are  not  necessary  because 
the  feet  of  the  squabs  do  not  sprawl  as  in  the  case  of  the 
earthenware  nappies).  You  will  need  one  pair  of  nest  bowls 
for  every  pair  of  pigeons  (in  other  words,  one  nest  bowl  to 
every  pigeon).  If  you  order  twenty-four  pairs  of  breeders 
you  will  need  forty-eight  nest  bowls.  If  you  order  ninety-six 
pairs  of  breeders  you  will  need  one  hundred  and  ninety-two 
nest  bowls. 

We  know  our  birds  will  breed  more  successfully  in  these 
nest  bowls  than  in  earthenware,  and  to  make  it  an  object 
for  you  to  buy  them,  you  may  deduct  the  freight  charges 
on  nest  bowls  from  your  order  for  birds.  First  order  your 
nest  bowls  sent  by  freight,  then  when  you  order  your  breeders, 


48       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

send  us  your  freight  receipt  and  count  the  amount  as  cash. 
Or  you  may  order  your  birds  at  the  same  time  you  do  the 
nest  bowls  (and  other  supplies)  and  when  you  get  .your  freight 
receipt  send  it  to  us.  Orders  for  one  dozen  to  four  dozen 
bowls  should  go  by  express  with  the  birds  (tied  to  the  basket) , 
unless  it  is  desired  to  have  the  bowls  go  with  grain,  grit,  shells, 
etc.,  by  freight. 

Place  one  nest  bowl  in  each  one  of  your  nest  boxes.  Let 
the  pairs  choose 'to  suit  themselves.  At  the  end  of  the  month, 
when  you  take  out  the  squabs,  take  out  the  nest  bowl,  clean 
it  and  put  it  back. 

Many  customers  who  do  not  use  egg  crates  or  orange 
boxes,  but  build  their  nest  boxes  of  half-inch  or  five-eighths 
lumber,  have  written  us  that  they  used  the  construction 
which  we  illustrate  on  page  30,  and  which  is  good,'  because 
cleaning  can  be  better  done.  The  bottoms  of  the  nest  boxes 
are  removable  and  rest  on  cleats,  as  the  picture  shows.  The 
cleats  are  seven-eighths  or  one  inch  square  and  are  nailed 
to  the  uprights.  When  this  construction  is  employed,  it  is 
not  necessary  that  you  have  a  block  or  base  screwed  to  our 
wood-fibre  nest  bowl.  The  nest  bowl  may  be  screwed 
directly  onto  this  removable  bottom.  If  you  use  egg  crates 
or  solid-built  nest  boxes,  you  will  have  to  give  the  wood-fibre 
nest  bowl  stability  by  screwing  it  to  a  base  of  wood  seven 
inches  square  and  about  three-quarters  of  an  inch  thick. 

When  the  squab  house  is  ready  for  the  birds,  each  of  the 
nest  boxes  has  one  of  these  nest  bowls.  The  pigeons  build 
their  own  nests  in  them,  taking  the  nesting  material  and  flying 
to  the  nest  bowl  with  it.  The  average  nest  has  from  one  to 
two  inches  of  straw  compactly  and  prettily  laid  by  the  birds. 
Some  birds  use  more  nesting  material  than  others.  After  the 
squabs  are  hatched,  they  quickly  show  that  Nature  never 
intended  them  to  have  a  dirty  nest.  When  they  wish  to 
make  manure,  they  back  up  to  the  edge  of  the  nest  and  "shoot" 
outward  and  over  the  edge  of  the  nest  bowl  into  the  nest  box, 
which  is  just  where  the  breeder  wants  to  find  it.  In  a  week 
or  two  there  will  be  a  circle  of  solid  manure  in  the  nest  box, 
but  it  is  out  of  the  nest,  and  off  and  away  from  the  feet  of 
the  squabs.  As  the  squabs  grow  older,  their  claws  tread  and 
throw  out  the  straw  on  which  they  were  hatched,  and  the  nest 
bowl  gets  bare  again  as  it  was  in  the  first  place.  The  small 


NEST  BOWLS  AND  NESTS  49 

amount  of  manure  which  then  sticks  to  it  is  removed  with  a 
trowel. 

The  use  of  this  wood-fibre  nest  bowl  has  lightened  the 
work  a  great  deal  for  they  never  have  to  be  washed.  They 
should  not  be  washed,  for  water  weakens  them,  particularly 
at  the  bottom,  where  the  screw  hole  is.  A  washer  should 
be  put  under  the  screw  head  to  hold  the  bowl  tight  and  to 
prevent  its  turning  while  being  cleaned.  We  ship  these 
washers  and  screws  with  the  bowls. 

The  pigeons  will  not  take  with  mathematical  regularity 
pair  by  pair  the  nest  boxes  which  you  have  provided.  Some 
of  them  will  take  them  in  pairs,  one  adjoining  the  other. 
This  makes  it  convenient  for  you  in  keeping  track  of  them. 
Others  will  take  one  nest  box  in  one  part  of  the  squab  house 
but  go  to  another  part  of  the  squab  house  for  their  second 
nest.  Some  will  not  take  a  nest  box  at  all,  but  will  build  a 
rough  nest  on  the  floor  of  the  squab  house  and  rear  their 
family  there.  Let  them  choose  for  themselves. 

The  nests  are  built  by  the  birds  of  straw,  grass,  hay  or  pine 
needles.  The  birds  fly  to  the  pile,  select  what  wisps  they 
want,  then  fly  to  the  nest  boxes  and  arrange  the  wisps  in 
a  nest  bowl  to  suit  themselves.  Tobacco  stems  are  recom- 
mended for  nesting  material,  because  the  odor  from  them 
will  have  a  tendency  to  drive  away  lice,  but  they  are  not 
necessary  if  the  nest  bowls  are  used  and  ordinary  cleanliness 
observed.  The  tanners  do  not  want  manure  mixed  with 
tobacco  stems  which  have  dropped  down  from  the  nests. 
The  stems,  when  wet  in  the  vat,  stain  the  hides.  When 
tobacco  stems  are  used  for  nesting  material,  it  is  impossible 
to  prevent  many  of  them  from  dropping  to  the  floor,  where 
they  are  tramped  by  the  birds  into  the  manure.  The  tanners 
do  not  care  if  some  straw  and  hay  are  in  the  manure.  Before 
cleaning  out  the  squab  house,  the  loose  straw  and  feathers 
should  be  swept  out  with  a  broom. 

The  best  thing  to  keep  the  nesting  material  in  is  a  berry 
crate.  Fill  it  with  straw  and  hay  (use  the  fine  oat,  not  rye 
straw,  cut  into  six-inch  lengths)  and  shut  down  the  cover. 
Then  when  the  birds  want  nesting  material  they  will  fly  to 
the  vertical  openings  in  the  sides  of  the  berry  crates,  stick 
their  bills  in  and  make  their  selection.  The  cover  of  the  berry 
crate  prevents  the  birds  from  soiling  the  nesting  material. 


50       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

They  will  not  build  nests  with  dirty  nesting  material.  It  must 
be  first-class,  clean,  dry  and  sweet  or  they  will  not  use  it. 

Some  of  our  customers  use  pine  needles  successfully  for 
nesting  material.  We  have  never  tried  them  because  they 
are  not  plentiful  around  our  farm.  Where  they  are  in  abun- 
dance, we  recommend  that  they  be  tried. 

When  a  new  lot  of  pigeons  are  placed  in  a  squab  house, 
they  will  cause  annoyance,  while  they  are  learning  their  new 
home  and  getting  ready  to  go  to  work,  by  making  manure  in 
the  nest  bowls,  where  they  roost.  This  cannot  be  prevented. 
The  remedy  is,  to  clean  once  a  week. 


Fill  this  berry  crate  with  nesting  material  (straw  cut  into  six-inch  lengths,  and 
hay,  mixed  about  equally)  and  place  it  in  centre  of  squab  house.  The  cover  prevents 
the  birds  from  fouling  the  nesting  material.  They  stick  their  bills  through  the  slats, 
select  the  wisps  they  want,  and  fly  to  nests. 


CHAPTER  V. 

WATER  AND  FEED. 

Necessity  of  Pure  Water  and  Plenty  of  it — The  Kind  of 
Drinking  Dish  to  Use  and  the  Kind  Not  to  Use — Manage- 
ment of  the  Drinking  Fountain  and  Bath  Pan — The  Feed 
Trough  and  Self -Feeder — Feeding  Habits — What  Grains 
to  Use — How  to  Mix  Red  Wheat  and  Cracked  Corn — Use 
of  Grit,  Oyster  Shell  and  Salt — How  to  Feed  the  Dainties 
— Keep  Feed  before  Your  Flock  All  the  Time. 

Pure  water  and  plenty  of  it  is  good  for  pigeons.  When  the 
weather  is  not  too  cold,  it  is  the  custom  of  pigeons  to  get 
into  water,  wherever  it  is.  When  they  cannot  bathe  in  it, 
they  will  stick  their  dirty  feet  into  it.  When  they  cannot 
get  in  their  feet,  they  will  douse  their  heads.  They  are  after 
water  all  the  time.  When  feeding  the  squabs,  the  old  bird  will 
fill  up  its  crop  with  grain,  then  fly  to  the  water  and  take  a  drink, 
then  return  and  dole  out  to  the  squabs  the  watery  and  milky 
mixture  on  which  they  fatten. 

The  source  of  drinking  water  should  be  separate  from  the 
bath  pan.  They  will  drink  from  the  bath  pan,  to  be  sure, 
while  the  water  remains  comparatively  clean,  but  after  a  few 
have  bathed  in  it,  it  is  unfit  for  any  bird  to  drink,  and  inside 
of  twenty  minutes  the  pan  is  not  only  covered  with  a  whitish, 
greasy  scum,  but  is  dyed  greenish  from  the  manure  which 
has  washed  off  their  feet. 

There  should  be  drinking  water  inside  the  squab  house, 
provided  you  have  not  a  running  stream  or  some  such  clean 
water  device  in  the  flying  pen. 

The  kind  of  water  dish  you  do  not  want  in  the  squab  house 
is  the  kind  with  the  open  top,  into  which  the  birds  can  wade, 
and  which  they  can  foul  with  their  droppings.  The  best  device 
we  have  found  is  the  self -feeding  fountain,  such  as  we  illus- 
trate on  page  46.  This  fountain  is  made  either  of  crockery 
or  galvanized  steel,  or  iron.  Galvanized  iion  or  steel  is  better 
than  crockery,  because  if  water  freezes  in  such  a  dish  the 
dish  will  not  be  cracked.  It  will  be  seen  by  examination 
of  the  self-drinker  that  it  is  impossible  for  the  pigeons  to  foul 

51 


52       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

the  water.  The  reservoir  holds  quite  a  supply  of  water, 
which  feeds  down  as  fast  as  it  is  drunk  by  the  pigeons.  We 
have  seen  beginners  puzzled  by  these  self -drinking  dishes; 
they  cannot  imagine  why  the  water  does  not  all  run  out  at 
once  by  the  bottom  hole.  It  is  a  simple  principle  in  hydraulics 
which  you  may  demonstrate  to  your  own  satisfaction  by  fill  ng 
an  ordinary  tumbler  with  water  and  then  inverting  it  in  a 
saucer  of  water.  There  is  no  way  for  the  air  to  get  to  the 
inside  of  the  tumbler  except  by  passing  under  the  rim  at  the 
points  where  it  touches  the  saucer,  consequently  it  does  not 
flow  down  unless  the  water  is  removed  from  the  saucer,  and 
then  it  ceases  as  soon  as  the  water  in  the  saucer  rises  over 
the  rim  of  the  tumbler  again.  In  fact,  some  self -drinkers 
for  poultry  are  made  of  two  pieces  of  pottery  exactly  on  the 
principle  of  the  tumbler  and  saucer.  These  fountains  are  not 
so  practical  as  the  fountain  which  we  illustrate,  because  a 
pigeon  can  roost  on  the  top  of  it  and  foul  the  saucer  with  its 
droppings.  In  the  fountain  which  we  picture  it  is  impossible 
for  droppings  to  reach  the  mouth  containing  the  water,  even 
if  the  pigeon  is  perched  directly  on  top  of  the  fountain.  The 
barrel  shape  of  the  fountain  makes  it  hard  for  more  than  one 
pigeon  to  perch  at  the  same  time  on  its  top,  but  one  pigeon 
usually  is  found  there.  He  gets  there,  for  the  special  purpose, 
it  seems,  of  fouling  the  water,  but  the  fountain  beats  him 
and  he  can't  do  it.  Neither  can  he  put  his  feet  into  the  water 
unless  he  is  an  extraordinary  gymnast  capable  of  holding  his 
body  out  at  an  angle  to  the  perpendicular.  The  result  is, 
that  in  actual  practice  the  water  keeps  clean,  and  there  is  a 
supply  of  it  ready  about  all  the  time.  A  fountain  of  a  gallon 
capacity  will  keep  two  or  three  dozen  pairs  of  breeders  supplied 
all  day.  The  fountain  is  filled  by  turning  it  on  end  and 
pouring  water  down  into  the  opening.  If  you  fill  the  fountain 
at  the  same  time  you  fill  the  bath  pan  in  the  morning,  you 
will  have  done  your  duty  by  the  pigeons  for  the  day. 

Cleanse  these  fountains  at  least  once  every  two  weeks 
with  sea1  ding  hot  water  containing  squab-fe-nol  (pigeon 
disinfectant;  see  our  price-list  for  description). 

The  best  place  for  the  bath  pan  is  out  in  the  yard  of  the 
flying  pen.  A  pan  fifteen  inches  in  diameter  is  right  for  a 
flock  up  to  twelve  pairs  of  birds.  The  pan  should  be  from 
four  to  six  inches  deep,  not  over  six  inches,  for  a  pigeon  will 


WATER  AND  FEED  53 

not  bathe  in  water  where  it  would  be  likely  to  drown  if  pushed 
or  sat  on  by  its  mates.  Having  the  bath  pan  in  position  on 
the  ground  of  the  flying  pen,  you  take  to  it  once  each  day, 
in  the  morning,  a  bucket  of  water,  and  pour  the  water  into  the 
pan  Then  you  can  go  away  to  business,  if  you  wish.  The 
pigeons  will  fly  to  the  pan  from  the  interior  of  the  house,  or 
from  the  roof,  wherever  they  happen  to  be.  Some  will 
splash  right  in.  Others  will  perch  on  the  rim  and  drink 
before  they  bathe.  When  the  water  gets  dirty,  they  know 
enough  not  to  drink,  unless  they  are  very  sorely  pressed 
indeed  for  water.  The  water  gets  quite  dirty  from  the  bath- 
ing. A  thick,  greasy,  white  scum  forms.  The  pigeons  do 
not  rustle  in  the  dirt,  as  a  hen  does, 'but  rely  on  the  water 
to  keep  them  clean  and  dainty.  They  flap  their  wings  in  the 
water  and  enjoy  it  thoroughly.  A  pigeon  will  never  run 
away  from  water,  as  you  will  discover  if  when  you  are  water- 
ing your  lawn  you  turn  the  hose  on  them. 

Let  the  dirty  water  stand  in  the  bath  pan  all  day  if  you 
choose,  or  you  may  go  to  it  an  hour  or  two  after  you  have  filled 
the  pan,  and  empty  the  water.  One  bath  a  day  is  enough. 

If  there  is  a  stream  of  water  running  through  your  property 
handy  to  your  squab  house,  build  your  flying  pen  out  over 
it  and  you  need  never  trouble  with  bath  pans  or  drinking 
water.  If  it  is  a  deep  stream,  you  will  have  to  contrive  a 
shallow  bath  tub  at  the  shore,  or  divert  part  of  the  stream 
into  a  shallow  run.  The  squab  raiser  with  a  stream  of  water 
handy  should  by  all  means  make  use  of  it  and  save  himself  the 
work  of  carrying  water  in  pails. 

The  bath  pan  may  rest  in  a  basin,  if  you  choose,  and  the 
overflow  caused  by  the  splashing  of  the  wings  may  be  con- 
ducted to  a  sewer  and  drained  away.  You  may  conduct 
water  in  pipes  and  have  a  faucet  opening  out  over  the  bath 
pan,  which  faucet  you  may  control  either  directly  or  from 
a  central  station.  An  easy  home-made  arrangement  to  be 
used  in  conjunction  with  the  bath  pan  consists  of  a  wet  sink 
in  which  the  bath  pan  sits,  and  out  of  which  the  splashed 
water  runs.  In  the  winter  it  may  be  advisable  to  give  your 
pigeons  their  bath  in  the  squab  house  instead  of  in  the  yard 
of  the  flying  pen,  in  which  case  you  should  have  some  device 
on  the  wet-sink  principle  to  prevent  the  floor  of  the  squab 
house  from  getting  damp. 


54       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

In  northern  latitudes  it  is  not  necessary  nor  desirable  for 
the  pigeons  to  bathe  on  cold  winter  days.  Wait  until  a  warm 
and  sunny  day  comes.  It  will  do  the  birds  no  harm  to  go 
for  weeks  in  the  winter  without  bathing.  Many  of  our 
customers  write  us  that  they  allow  their  birds  to  bathe  in  the 
winter  seldom  or  not  at  all. 

Feed  may  be  given  to  pigeons  in  a  less  guarded  way,  for 
they  do  not  soil  the  feed  dish  so  freely  as  they  do  the  drinking 
dishes.  You  may  put  the  feed  in  open  troughs  (or  on  a  flat 
board  with  a  rim  around  it)  in  the  squab  house.  If  you 
observe  them  when  eating,  you  will  notice  that  they  stand  up 
to  the  feed  in  a  somewhat  orderly  manner  and  peck  at  its 
contents.  They  do  not  sit  in  the  dish  and  roll  around  in  the 
feed  as  they  do  in  the  water.  But  they  have  one  fault  when 
eating  and  that  is,  to  scatter  the  grains.  They  will  push  in 
their  bills  and  toss  them  around  in  a  search  after  tidbits,  and 
scatter  out  on  the  floor  kernel  after  kernel,  and  it  will  make 
your  bump  of  economy  ache  to  see  this  grain  scattered  around. 
There  do  not  seem  to  be  any  neat,  saving  pigeons  which  go  to 
the  floor  in  the  wake  of  their  prodigal  brethren  and  eat  the 
crumbs.  They  all  have  a  fancy  for  the  first  table  and  they 
get  right  at  it  and  scatter  the  grain  like  the  rest  of  their  fellows, 
and  apparently  the  pigeon  who  scatters  the  most  grain  is  the 
one  which  struts  around  with  the  biggest  front.  The  way 
to  fool  them  is  to  provide  in  the  squab  house  a  covered  trough, 
that  is,  covered  except  at  the  slit  or  points  where  they  stick 
in  their  bills  for  food.  With  a  little  ingenuity  you  can  cover 
an  ordinary  v-shaped  trough  so  that  it  will  be  hard  for  the 
pigeons  to  waste  the  grain.  You  may  have  a  self-feeder  made 
as  big  or  as  small  as  you  choose  and  in  which  the  grain  will 
drop  down  as  it  is  eaten. 

We  will  try  to  present  the  matter  of  feed  as  clearly  and 
fully  as  it  seems  to  us  to  be  possible.  A  woman  in  Santa 
Cruz,  California,  said  she  would  like  to  raise  squabs,  and 
would  begin  by  ordering  her  feed  of  us,  exactly  as  we  recom- 
mended, to  be  sent  to  her  by  freight  from  Boston  via  the 
Southern  Pacific.  A  man  in  Cleveland  ordered  a  quantity  of 
red  wheat  and  cracked  corn  to  be  sent  by  freight  from  us, 
when  there  were  thousands  of  bushels  of  both  staples  in 
elevators  in  his  city,  in  fact  most  of  the  Boston  supply  had 
passed  through  his  city.  We  did  not  like  to  run  the  chance  of 


WATER  AND  FEED  55 

losing  the  order  for  breeding  stock  either  of  the  woman  in 
Santa  Cruz  or  of  the  gentleman  in  Cleveland,  but  we  wrote  to 
both  that  they  ought  not  to  go  into  the  squab-raising  business 
if  they  were  to  be  dependent  on  us  for  grain,  that  it  was  too 
far  to  send  and  that  if  they  would  look  around  home  they 
could  get  what  they  wanted. 

Here  in  New  England  we  feed  to  pigeons  cracked  corn,  red 
wheat,  hemp-seed,  Canada  peas,  kaffir  corn,  —  the  foregoing 
as  a  rule,  and  sometimes,  when  cheap,  buckwheat,  millet  and 
barley. 

It  was  formerly  thought  that  whole  corn  was  not  a  good 
food  for  pigeons,  on  the  theory  that  the  old  pigeons  would  eat 
the  large  kernels  and  then,  perhaps,  feed  them  to  squabs, 
choking  them.  In  practice,  not  one  case  in  one  hundred  like 
that  will  be  found.  Whole  corn  is  much  relished  by  pigeons. 
They  will  eat  it  before  they  will  eat  anything  else,  except 
hempseed,  and  there  is  no  danger  in  using  it.  In  many 
sections  of  the  country,  we  find,  good  cracked  corn  is  not  so 
easy  to  procure  as  good  whole  corn.  The  grain  dealers  take 
their  poor  whole  corn,  sometimes,  and  work  it  over  into 
cracked  corn.  Good  whole  corn  speaks  for  itself  and  when 
you  buy  it  there  is  no  doubt  about  it. 

All  the  time  people  write  to  us  and  say  they  never  heard  of 
red  wheat.  More  write  and  say  they  don't  know  what  kaffir 
corn  is.  Others  are  puzzled  by  hemp-seed,  they  have  never 
seen  any.  That  is  surprising  to  us  here  in  New  England,  but 
no  doubt  we  would  be  just  as  surprised  if  we  were  in  our 
customers'  places. 

Let  us  see  if  we  cannot  level  up  the  whole  country  on  this 
question  of  feed  for  pigeons.  As  a  rule,  we  say,  feed  the 
grains  which  are  nearest  you.  This  country  has  its  corn  belt, 
its  wheat  belt,  its  section  where  millet  is  raised.  Buckwheat 
is  plentiful  in  another  section.  For  your  leading  grain, 
your  staple,  feed  corn.  The  point  to  remember  is  to  feed  a 
variety  of  grains.  Keep  this  word  variety  in  your  mind  all 
the  time  in  dealing  with  your  pigeons.  Their  appetites  do- 
not  grow  keen  on  a  monotonous  diet,  they  will  not  lay  the 
eggs  they  should,  and  their  health  will  not  be  good  on  it. 
Vary  the  diet. 

In  order  to  find  out  what  grains  are  convenient  to  you,  go  to 
your  nearest  grain  dealer  or  country  general  store.  The 


56       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

dealer  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  knows  nothing  about  pigeons 
and  their  feed  and  if  you  give  him  the  name  of  a  strange  grain, 
he  will  be  liable  to  shy  and  say  he  never  heard  of  it.  The 
trouble  with  him  is  that  he  sells  horse  feed  and  is  accustomed 
to  handling  only  the  grains  which  horses  need.  He  can  get 
the  grains  you  wish  by  writing  to  his  nearest  port  or 'railroad 
junction.  There  is  nothing  odd  or  out  of  the  way  about  the 
grains.  They  are  going  from  one  point  to  another  all  the 
time.  Sometimes  they  are  scarce  at  certain  periods  of  the 
year.  For  instance,  nearly  every  fall  there  is  no  kamr  corn 
at  a  reasonable  price  obtainable  in  Boston,  so  we  do  not  feed 
it  to  our  pigeons  then, 'but  cut  it  out  altogether  in  favor  of 
the  grains  selling  at  a  lower  price.  Most  of  the  kamr  corn 
which  we  get  in  Boston  comes  from  Kansas.  It  is  a  splendid 
feed  for  pigeons.  It  is  small  and  comparatively  soft,  and  their 
crops  make  easy  work  of  it.  It  is  nourishing  and  they  like 
it.  Maybe  your  grain  man  sells  a  mixture  for  pigeons.  If 
you  will  look  in  this  mixture  you  will  find  probably  kaffir 
corn,  as  well  as  buckwheat  (in  black  kernels),  also  red  wheat 
and  Canada  peas. 

A  liberal  supply  of  Canada  peas  and  hemp-seed  is  necessary 
for  a  good  egg  production. 

Do  not  feed  a  great  excess  of  corn,  in  the  summer 
time.  (By  corn,  we  mean  common  Indian  corn,  not  kamr 
corn.  Kaffir  corn  is  harmless,  even  when  forced  on  the 
birds.)  The  effect  of  corn  is  to  heat  the  blood.  This  is  what 
you  want  in  the  winter  time,  but  not  in  the  summer. 

Red  wheat  is  better  than  white  wheat  to  feed  to  pigeons 
because  it  is  not  so  likely  to  cause  diarrhoea.  (See  supple- 
ment of  this  book.) 

Beware  of  feeding  too  much  wheat.  Pigeons  fed  on  an 
excess  of  wheat  are  constantly  out  of  condition  with  continual 
diarrhoea  and  will  lay  no  eggs  while  in  that  state.  We  recall 
vividly  cases  of  pigeons  doing  poorly  caused  by  the  owner's 
stupidity  in  feeding  too  much  wheat.  One  customer  in 
Kansas  fed  nothing  but  wheat  and  got  his  birds  so  weak  that 
they  could  not  fly  off  the  ground.  Another  in  California  with 
a  flock  of  over  one  hundred  pairs  had  not  been  able  in  six 
months'  time  to  get  more  than  one  quarter  of  his  birds  at  work. 
He  complained  bitterly  that  his  birds  were  "  not  mated," 
were  all  cocks,  and  so  on,  but  after  further  correspondence 


WATER  AND  FEED  57 

disclosed  that  he  was  feeding  nothing  but  wheat,  with  the 
exception  of  a  handful  of  peas  in  the  middle  of  the  week  and 
a  handful  of  hemp-seed  on  Sunday  ! 

A  properly  balanced  ration  is  necessary  to  egg  production 
in  the  case  of  pigeons,  same  as  poultry. 

Wheat  is  a  good  regulator  for  pigeons  but  corn  is  the  great 
fattener  and  the  main  staple. 

When  anybody  fails  with  pigeons,  if  you  pick  up  and  handle 
the  birds  you  will  find  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  that  they  have 
sharp  breastbones,  which  means  that  they  are  improperly 
nourished,  out  of  condition,  and  of  course  cannot  produce 
eggs  because. they  have  not  the  blood  and  fat  to  do  it. 

All  the  grains  which  you  feed  should  be  old,  hard,  dry  and 
sweet.  If  they  smell  sour  or  taste  bad  to  your  own  tongue, 
don't  feed  them  to  your  pigeons.  Above  all,  keep  your  grain 
dry.  If  you  have  the  grain  stored  in  bins  which  are  damp 
from  ground  water,  or  which  catch  the  drippings  from  the 
eaves,  or  through  holes  in  the  roof,  first  you  will  get  sour  grain 
and  then  some  of  the  grain  will  sprout,  and  this  sprouted  grain 
will  derange  the  bowels  of  your  birds  and  bring  on  dysentery. 
Do  not  let  rank  little  growths  spring  up  in  a  dirty  squab  house 
or  in  the  yard  of  your  flying  pen.  Pigeons  will  peck  at  green 
leaves  and  grass  and  will  not  be  harmed,  but  do  not  give  them 
a  chance  to  peck  up  sprouted  grain  and  eat  the  sprout,  grain 
and  all,  for  if  they  do  they  will  have  diarrhoea.  A  pigeon  in 
good  condition  and  busy  with  a  nest  ordinarily  will  not  touch 
a  nasty  little  green  sprout,  but  in  the  moulting  season,  when 
pigeons  are  in  the  dumps  generally,  and  feeling  like  having  a 
stimulant,  they  will  experiment  with  these  sprouts.  Keep 
the  floor  of  your  squab  house  clean  and  the  yard  of  the  flying 
pen  raked  up  and  you  need  not  worry  about  this  matter. 

Ground  oyster  shell  should  be  placed  in  a  box  handy  for  the 
pigeons  to  get  at.  The  purpose  of  this  oyster  shell  is  to 
provide  the  constituents  of  the  eggshell.  The  female  pigeon 
needs  it  in  order  to  form  the  egg. 

Grit  is  needed  by  the  pigeons  to  enable  them  to  reduce  to 
powder  the  feed  which  they  take  into  their  crops  The 
muscles  of  the  crop  work  the  grit  on  the  grains  and  reduce 
the  grains  so  that  they  mix  with  the  digestive  fluids.  Cart 
two  or  three  bushels  of  gravel  or  sharp  sand  into  your  flying 
pen  and  cover  the  ground  with  it.  It  is  not  necessary  to 


WATER  AND  FEED  59 

cover  the  whole  space  of  the  ground  of  the  flying  pen.  For 
fuller  discussion  of  shells  and  grit,  see  supplement. 

It  is  poor  policy  to  mix  anything  but  wheat  and 
corn  together.  If  you  make  a  mixture  of  peas  and  hemp- 
seed  with  cracked  corn  and  wheat,  you  will  find  that  the 
pigeons  will  dig  down  after  the  peas  and  hemp-seed  and  toss 
the  other  grain  around  and  waste  it.  The  only  mixture, 
therefore,  which  we  feed  is  a  mixture  of  wheat  and  corn. 
Fill  the  self-feeder  with  whole  corn  and  wheat,  in  the  propor- 
tion of  three  parts  of  the  corn  to  one  of  wheat. 

We  call  the  wheat  and  corn  staples,  because  with 
us  in  New  England  they  form  the  major  part  of  the  diet,  and 
are  the  cheapest.  The  hemp-seed,  buckwheat,  Canada  peas, 
kaffir  corn,  millet  and  barley  we  call  dainties.  We  do  not 
feed  much  millet,  because  we  have  the  other  grains,  which 
are  cheapest,  but  some  of  our  customers  in  the  millet  sections 
of  the  country  feed  a  good  deal  of  millet.  In  such  cases  they 
look  on  millet  as  one  of  their  staples,  and  the  hard-to-get 
grains  are  classed  by  them  as  dainties.  The  staple  grains  of 
which  you  will  feed  the  most  to  your  pigeons  are  the  ones 
which  are  the  cheapest  for  you.  The  more  expensive  grains 
will  be  classed  by  you  as  dainties. 

A  good  way  to  feed  the  dainties  is  to  throw  them  out  on 
the  floor  of  the  squab  house  by  hand.  You  will  see  the 
pigeons  make  a  rush  for  them  and  eat  them  with  as  much 
relish  as  a  child  eats  candy.  You  should  feed  the  dainties 
about  three  times  a  week,  throwing  handfuls  on  the  floor 
until  you  see  that  the  pigeons  are  satisfied  and  do  not  care  for 
any  more. 

Do  not  throw  any  feed  on  the  ground  of  the  flying  pen,  for 
the  earth  is  liable  to  be  damp,  and  this  dampness  will  sour 
the  grain,  especially  cracked  corn,  and  if  the  pigeons  eat  it, 
they  will  get  sour  crops,  and  the  fluids  from  the  sour  crops  of 
the  parent  pigeons  will  make  the  squabs  sick  and  perhaps  kill 
them.  Do  all  your  feeding  in  the  squab  house  and  your 
pigeons  will  not  have  sour  crops. 

Do  not  lay  in  a  big  stock  of  cracked  corn  at  a  time,  for 
cracked  corn  exposed  to  sudden  changes  of  the  weather  is 
liable  to  take  up  dampness,  and  sour.  Smell  and  taste  it  once 
a  week  or  so  and  determine  to  your  own  satisfaction  that  it 
is  not  sour. 


60       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Some  squab  breeders  feed  twice  a  day,  as  much  as  the  birds 
will  eat  up  clean,  but  we  do  not  believe  in  that  system  of 
feeding.  Our  own  success,  and  the  success  of  our  customers 
in  squab  raising,  is  based  largely  on  the  fact  that  we  insist  on 
a  continuous  supply,  of  food  for  the  pigeons,  when  they  are 
breeding.  Use  the  self-feeder  only  with  birds  that  are  pro- 
ducing squabs.  A  new  flock  should  be  fed  by  hand  twice 
daily  what  they  will  eat  up  clean  in  ten  minutes.  Keep  them 
eager,  active  and  racy.  Do  not  let  them  get  too  fat,  for  if 
you  do  they  will  not  start  laying.  Some  beginners  will  use 
up  weeks  trying  to  get  their  birds  started,  others  get  all  their 
pairs  going  in  a  few  days.  It  is  a  matter  of  skillful  feeding, 
exactly  as  in  the  case  of  hens.  The  best  of  mated  pairs  will 
not  produce  eggs  unless  nourished,  because  the  act  of  copula- 
tion, as  in  the  case  of  hens  and  roosters,  has  nothing  to  do 
with  the  volume  of  egg  production,  but  only  with  the  fertility 
of  eggs. 

Food  should  be  at  hand  in  the  self-feeder  for  birds  which 
are  breeding.  They  do  not. gorge,  as  a  horse  will  if  an  un- 
limited supply  of  food  is  set  before  him.  They  are  not 
gluttons,  like  pigs.  They  do  not  lose  their  racy  shape.  A 
squab  when  hungry  will  squeak  loudly  to  inform  its  parents 
of  that  fact  and  if  you  observe  a  squab  house  where  the  two 
meals  a  day  are  in  vogue,  you  will  note  quite  a  chorus  of 
squeaks.  In  a  house  where  there  is  feed  always  at  hand, 
you  will  not  hear  many  hungry  squeaks.  It  is  greatly  to 
your  interest  that  the  crops  of  your  young  birds  be  filled  with 
food.  The  more  their  crops  are  stuffed  with  food,  the  quicker 
they  will  fatten  and  the  fatter  they  will  get.  The  parent 
birds  should  at  all  times  be  able  to  fill  up  their  crops  with  feed 
and  water  and  then  fly  to  the  nest  to  disgorge  for  the  benefit 
of  the  squabs. 

Squab  breeders  differ  concerning  self-feeders,  same  as 
mothers  differ  about  ways  of  bringing  up  babies.  Each  squab 
breeder  thinks  his  method  of  feeding  is  the  best.  We  speak 
not  wholly  from  our  own  experience,  but  the  experiences  of 
thousands  of  customers  extending  over  many  years.  There 
was  formerly  the  same  prejudice  against  self-feeders  for 
poultry,  until  a  man  in  Ohio,  raising  poultry  with  striking 
success  by  the  aid  of  self-feeders,  made  his  brethren  sit  up  and 
take  notice.  In  our  stories  of  success  printed  at  the  back  of 


WATER  AND  FEED  61 

this  book  and  elsewhere,  are  many  cases  of  small  flocks 
increased  enormously,  and  the  writers  take  pains  to  state 
that  they  are  using  the  self-feeder.  That  is  talk  that  means 
something.  The  loudest  advocate  of  no  self-feeder  is  the 
man  who  is  trying  hard  to  sell  his  Homers  by  some  kind  of  a 
story  different  from  what  we  tell.  It  does  not  matter  to  him 
what  he  says,  so  long  as  he  combats  us.  It  is  the  game  of  such 
chaps  to  contradict  all  others  and  pose  as  the  only  real, 
simon-pure  know-it-alls  on  pigeons. 

Some  small  parent  Homers  are  such  good  feeders,  such  good 
fathers  and  mothers,  that  they  stuff  their  squabs  with  grain 
and  bring  them  up  to  a  surprising  fatness.  We  have  had 
pairs  of  squabs  which  actually  at  four  weeks  of  age  were 
bigger  than  their  parents.  This  is  not  surprising  when  you 
think  that  the  squabs  sit  in  their  nest  hour  after  hour  doing 
nothing  but  accumulate  fat,  and  taking  no  exercise  to  train 
off  this  fat.  The  old  birds  are  flying  around  and  do  not  have 
much  fat  on  them;  they  are  trim  and  muscular,  and  hard 
fleshed.  You  can  tell  an  old  pigeon  after  it  is  cooked  when 
you  put  your  teeth  into  it,  just  as  you  can  tell  an  old  fowl. 

Provide  salt  for  your  pigeons  to  keep  them  strong  and 
healthy.  The  safest  kind  of  salt  for  you  to  use  is  rock  salt, 
such  as  is  sold  for  horses.  Put  a  couple  of  big  lumps  of  it  in 
the  squab  house  and  let  the  pigeons  peck  at  it  when  they  wish. 
Put  two  more  lumps  out  in  the  flying  pen.  When  rain  comes 
the  water  will  wash  some  salt  off  the  lumps  into  the  gravel. 
(Empty  the  bath  pans  upon  the  lumps  of  salt.)  The  pigeons 
will  eat  this  salt-impregnated  gravel  all  around  the  lumps  for 
an  inch  or  so  down  into  the  ground. 

Do  not  feed  powdered  salt,  for  if  you  do  the  birds  may  eat 
too  much  of  it  and  it  will  kill  them.  Coarse  ground  salt  may 
be  used,  but  the  rock  salt  is  best. 

Some  green  stuff  is  much  relished  by  pigeons.  It  is  good 
for  them  and  will  increase  the  egg,  and,  consequently,  squab 
production.  They  are  very  fond  of  cabbage  now  and  then, 
which  should  be  chopped  fine  before  being  fed.  (We  mean 
raw,  not  cooked,  cabbage.)  When  vines  grow  over  the  flying 
pen,  they  will  be  seen  pecking  at  the  green  leaves.  Green 
clover  may  be  cut  up  and  fed  to  them  in  conjunction  with 
grain.  It  should  be  remembered  that  green  stuff,  as  enu- 
merated in  this  paragraph,  is  fed  only  as  a  relish. 


62       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Table  scraps,  or  what  is  commonly  known  as  swill,  should 
not  be  fed  to  pigeons. 

Rice  may  be  fed,  if  plentiful  and  cheap.  It  has  a  tendency 
to  correct  diarrhoea  caused  by  too  much  wheat. 

Some  of  our  customers  have  been  influenced  by  adverse 
criticism  of  our  self-feeder  to  abandon  it  and  feed  in  open 
troughs,  but  they  have  gone  back  to  the  self-feeder.  One  of 
these  customers  was  Mr.  Tyson,  who  started  with  several 
hundred  pairs  of  our  birds  three  years  ago  and  now  (1907)  has 
the  largest  and  best  plant  in  the  State  of  New  Hampshire. 
His  wife  and  son,  with  himself,  have  attained  a  high  degree  of 
skill  and  proficiency  in  the  handling  of  their  pigeons.  The 
squabs  they  are  breeding  weigh  at  least  nine  pounds  to  the 
dozen.  They  ship  to  New  York  City,  where  they  get  very 
high  prices.  Mr.  Tyson  started  by  using  the  self-feeder  for 
grain,  as  we  advise,  but  being  influenced  by  something  seen  in 
print,  abandoned  it  and  gave  the  open-trough  method  of  feed- 
ing, twice  or  three  times  a  day,  a  thorough  trial.  Immediately 
the  birds  began  to  fall  off  in  production,  and  the  squabs  fell 
off  in  weight,  some  lots  getting  so  skinny  as  to  lose  nearly  two 
pounds  to  the  dozen.  That  experience  was  enough.  The 
Tysons  went  back  to  the  self-feeder  and  now  their  squabs  are 
plump,  as  they  were  in  the  first  place,  the  old  birds  are  in 
better  condition,  and  breeding  better. 

Do  not  put  into  the  self-feeder  a  great  lot  of  grain,  but  only 
enough  to  last  about  two  days.  A  great  quantity  is  liable  to 
take  up  moisture  in  a  spell  of  rainy  weather  and  go  stale,  and 
is  not  relished  by  the  birds  as  if  it  were  supplied  fresh  every 
two  or  three  days. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

LAYING  AND  HATCHING.     , 

Laying  an  Egg  is  under  the  Control  of  the  Pigeon's  Mind — 
Fertile  and  Infertile  Eggs — How  the  Cock  Drives  the  Hen — 
One  Day  between  Eggs  —  Hatch  after  Seventeen  Days 
—  How  Squabs  are  Fed  by  the  Par  en1  Birds — Mating 
Males  and  Females —  Use  of  the  Mating  Coop — Determina- 
tion of  Sex — Color  of  Feathers  Has  No  Effect  on  Color  of 
Flesh — Pigeons  Left  to  Themselves  Will  Not  Inbreed — No 
Inbreeding  Necessary  even  if  you  Start  wi+h  a  Small  Flock. 

The  hen  pigeon  builds  the  nest.  When  the  nest  is  built, 
the  cock  begins  to  "  drive  "  the  hen  around  the  house  and 
pen.  In  a  flock  of  breeding  pigeons  you  always  will  see  one 
or  two  cocks  "  driving  "  their  mates,  pecking  at  them  and 
nagging  them  with  the  purpose  of  forcing  them  onto  the  nest 
to  lay  the  eggs.  The  cock  seems  to  take  more  interest  in  the 
coming  family  than  the  hen. 

The  hen  lays  one  egg  in  the  nest,  then  skips  a  day  and  lays 
the  second  egg  on  the  third  day.  Seventeen  days  after  being 
laid  the  eggs  hatch.  The  egg  first  laid  hatches  a  day  before 
the  second,  sometimes,  but  usually  the  parents  do  not  sit 
close  on  the  first  egg,  but  stand  over  it,  and  do  not  incubate 
it.  Sometimes  one  squab  may  get  more  than  its  share  of 
food,  and  the  younger  one  will  weaken  and  die.  This  seldom 
happens  but  if  you  see  one  squab  considerably  larger  than  the 
other,  the  thing  to  do  is  to  exchange  with  a  squab  from 
another  nest  that  is  nearer  the  size  of  the  remaining  squab. 
The  old  birds  will  not  notice  the  change  but  will  continue 
feeding  the  foster  squab. 

The  process  of  laying  an  egg  is  a  mental  operation.  We 
mean  by  this  that  it  is  not  a  process  which  goes  on  regularly 
in  spite  of  all  conditions.  The  hen  forms  the  egg  in  her  body 
and  lays  it  when  she  is  in  condition  to,  and  when  she  wants 
to,  not  when  she  is  forced  to.  In  other  words,  the  hen  lays 
when  conditions  are  satisfactory  to  her.  That  she  forms  the 
egg  at  will  is  proven  by  many  things,  principally  by  the  fact 
that  she  allows  one  day  to  come  in  between  the  first  and 

63 


THE  QUICK  GROWTH  OF  SQUABS  FROM  EGGS  TO  KILLING  AGE 
IN   FOUR  WEEKS  IS    ILLUSTRATED  ON  THIS  PAGE, 
PAGE  66  AND  PAGE  68. 


EGGS  IN  THE  NEST, 


SQUABS  JUST  HATCHED. 


LAYING  AND   HATCHING  65 

the  second  eggs.  No  doubt,  after  she  has  laid  the  first  egg, 
she  hurries  the  other  along  and  lays  it  as  soon  after  the  first 
as  she  can,  and  it  takes  forty-eight  hours  for  the  egg,  complete 
in  its  wonderful  construction,  to  form.  Hen  pigeons  in  a  ship- 
ping crate  or  close  coop  do  not  lay  eggs,  because  they  know 
that  there  are  no  facilities  there  for  raising  young.  Once  in 
a  while  you  will  find  an  egg  in  a  shipping  crate  when  the 
birds  are  taken  out,  but  it  is  a  comparatively  rare  occurrence. 

Of  course,  in  order  to  lay  a  fertile  egg,  the  hen  pigeon 
must  have  received  the  attention  of  the  cock  bird.  It  is 
common  for  a  hen  pigeon  at  five  months,  and  sometimes 
four,  to  lay  an  egg,  but  as  a  rule  those  first  eggs  from  a  young 
hen  are  not  fertile  because  she  has  not  yet  mated  with  the 
cock  bird.  After  a  hen  pigeon  has  reached  six  months  of  age, 
and  is  paired  with  a  male,  it  is  safe  to  assume  as  an  almost 
invariable  rule  that  the  eggs  she  lays  will  be  fertile.  When 
the  male  bird  gets  to  be  six  to  ten  years  old,  he  may  lose  his 
vitality,  and  the  eggs  laid  by  his  mate  will  not  be  fertile. 
Then  it  is  necessary  to  provide  the  female  with  a  new  mate. 
The  breeders  we  sell  are  of  prime  breeding  age,  from  eight 
months  to  eighteen  months  old,  and  the  eggs  laid  by  hens 
of  that  age  will  be  fertile  and  of  full  size,  and  the  squabs 
bred  from  them  will  not  be  scrawny  and  lacking  in  vitality. 

From  the  day  of  its  hatching  to  market  time  the  squab 
is  fed  by  its  parents.  The  first  food  is  a  liquid  secreted  in 
the  crop  of  both  cock  and  hen,  and  called  pigeons'  milk. 
The  parent  pigeons  open  their  bills  and  the  squabs  thrust 
their  bills  within  to  get  sustenance.  This  supply  of  pigeons' 
milk  lasts  from  five  to  six  days.  It  gradually  grows  thicker 
and  in  a  week  is  found  to  be  mixed  with  corn  and  wheat  in  small 
particles.  When  about  ten  days  old,  the  squabs  are  eating 
hard  grain  from  the  crops  of  the  mature  cock  and  hen.  They 
fill  up  at  the  trough,  then  take  a  drink  of  water  and  fly  to 
the  nest  to  minister  to  the  little  ones.  You  see  how  im- 
portant it  is  to  have  food  available  at  all  times. 

In  fourteen,  fifteen  or  sixteen  days  after  the  first  pair  of 
squabs  have  been  hatched,  the  cock  begins  "  driving  "  the 
hen  again.  This  shows  the  necessity  of  a  second  nest  for  the 
pair.  In  this  second  nest  the  hen  lays  two  more  eggs,  and 
the  care  of  the  first  pair  of  squabs,  now  between  two  and  three 
weeks  old,  devolves  upon  the  cock.  When  this  pair  is  four 


SQUABS  ONE  WEEK  OLD. 


SQUABS  TWO  WEEKS  OLD. 


LA  YING  AND   HATCHING  67 

weeks  old,  it  is  taken  out  of  the  nest  and  killed  and  both  the 
mature  birds  are  concerned  then  only  with  the  new  hatch. 
This  sequence  of  eggs  and  hatches  goes  on  all  the  time. 

If  there  are  not  two  nests,  the  two  new  eggs  will  be  laid  in 
the  nest  where  are  the  growing  squabs.  The  parents  in  their 
eagerness  to  sit  on  the  new  eggs  will  push  the  squabs  out  of 
the  nest  and  they  will  die  for  lack  of  sustenance. 

The  hen  lays  the  eggs  about  four  o'clock  in  the  afternoon. 
The  cock  and  hen  take  turns  at  covering  the  eggs,  the  hen 
sitting  during  the  night  until  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
when  the  cock  relieves  her,  remaining  on  until  the  latter  part 
of  the  afternoon. 

When  the  squabs  are  taken  out  for  market  at  the  end  of  four 
weeks,  the  nest  bowl  and  nest  box  should  be  cleaned.  If 
this  cleaning  is  done  once  a  week,  no  trouble  from  parasites 
will  result.  In  the  summer  it  is  well  to  add  a  little  carbolic 
acid  to  the  whitewash  as  an  extra  precaution.  Sprinkle 
unslaked  lime  on  the  floor  of  the  squab  house  and  in  the  nest 
boxes,  and  spray  squab-fe-nol  freely. 

One  way  of  mating  or  pairing  pigeons  is  to  turn  males  and 
females  in  equal  number  into  the  same  pen.  They  will  seek  . 
their  own  mates  and  settle  down  to  steady  reproduction. 
Another  method  is  to  place  the  male  and  female  which  you 
wish  to  pair  in  a  mating  coop  or  hutch.  In  the  course  of  a  few 
days  they  will  mate  or  pair  and  then  you  may  turn  them  loose 
in  the  big  pen  with  the  others.  The  latter  method  is  necessary 
when  improving  your  flock  by  the  addition  of  new  blood,  or 
when  keeping  a  positive  record  of  the  ancestry  of  each  pair. 
By  studying  your  matings,  you  may  improve  the  efficiency 
of  your  flock. 

In  the  case  of  a  new  flock  of  pigeons  shipped  to  a  new 
home,  all  do  not  go  to  work  at  the  same  time.  Those  pairs 
which  get  to  work  first  are  bothered  by  the  slower  pairs.  To 
judge  from  the  advertisements  of  some  breeders,  anxious  to 
claim  everything  for  their  birds  and  their  wonderful  matings, 
the  beginner  would  think  that  all  the  birds  he  buys  from  them 
will  go  to  work  immediately  when  released  in  their  new  home. 
This  is  far  from  the  truth.  The  pairs  will  go  to  work  to  suit 
themselves  as  to  time.  Some  will  be  quick,  others  slow.  As 
fast  as  each  pair  goes  to  work,  it  should  be  caught  and  placed 
in  the  breeding  pen.  The  first  pen,  into  which  the  birds 


SQUABS  THREE  WEEKS  OLD. 


SQUABS  FOUR  WEEKS  OLD. 
Ready  to  be  killed  for  Market. 


68 


.LAYING  AND   HATCHING  69 

were  put  on  arrival,  then  can  be  used  for  the  rearing  pen  for 
youngsters  raised  in  the  breeding  pen. 

In  case  a  pigeon  loses  its  mate  by  death  or  accident,  the  sex 
of  the  dead  one  must  be  ascertained.  The  live  one  should  be 
removed  from  the  pen  and  placed  in  the  mating  coop  with  a 
pigeon  of  the  opposite  sex. 

The  mating  coop  should  have  a  partition  of  lattice  work  or 
wire.  Place  the  cock  in  one  side,  the  hen  in  the  other,  and 
leave  them  thus  for  two  or  three  days  to  flirt  and  tease,  each 
other,  then  remove  the  central  lattice  work  or  wire  and  they 
usually  will  pair,  or  mate.  If  they  show  no  disposition  to 
pair  but  on  the  contrary  fight,  replace  the  partition  and  try 
them  for  two  or  three  days  longer.  If  they  refuse  to  pair 
after  two  or  three  thorough  trials,  do  not  experiment  any 
more  with  them,  but  select  other  mates. 

The  determination  of  the  sex  of  pigeons  is  difficult.  The 
bones  at  the  vent  of  a  female  are  as  a  rule  wider  apart 
than  of  a  male.  If  you  hold  the  beak  of  a  pigeon  in  one 
hand  and  the  feet  in  the  other,  stretching  them  out,  the 
male  bird  usually  will  hug  his  tail  close  to  its  body  —  the 
female  will  throw  her  tail.  The  best  way  to  determine  the  sex 
is  to  watch  the  birds.  The  male  is  more  lively  than  the 
female,  and  does  more  cooing,  and  in  flirting  with  her  usually 
turns  around  several  times,  while  the  female  seldom  turns 
more  than  half  way  around.  The  male  may  be  seen  pecking 
at  the  female  and  driving  her  to  nest.  When  one  pigeon  is 
seen  chasing  another  inside  and  outside  the  squab  house, 
the  driven  one  is  the  female  and  the  driver  her  mate. 

Neither  the  squab  breeder  nor  the  flying-Homer  breeder 
is  much  concerned  about  the  color  of  feathers.  There  are 
blue  checkers,  red  checkers,  black  checkers,  silver,  blue, 
brown,  red,  in  fact  about  all  the  colors  of  the  rainbow.  Color 
has  no  relation  to  the  ability  of  a  pair  to  breed  a  large  pair  of 
squabs.  We  wish  specially  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the 
color  of  the  feathers  has  no  influence  on  the  color  of  the  skin 
of  the  squab.  A  white  feathered  bird  does  not  mean  a  white- 
skinned  squab.  The  feed  affects  the  color  of  the  meat  a  kittle. 
A  corn-fed  pigeon  will  be  yellower  than  one  fed  on  a  mixture. 
Squabs  with  dark  skins  (almost  black  in  some  cases)  are  the 
product  of  blood  matings.  The  trouble  with  a  dark-colored 
squab  is  in  the  blood  and  the  only  remedy  is  to  get  rid  of  them 


THE  MATING  COOP. 

One  way  of  mating  squab  breeders  is  to  turn  cocks  and  hens  in  equal  numbers 
into  the  same  pen.  The  m  iting  coon  is  used  when  the  breeder  wishes  to  pair 
certain  male  with  a  certain  female.  The  above  mating  coop  is  divided  by  a  partition. 
The  cock  is  placed  on  one  side  of  the  partition,  the  hen  on  the  other,  as  pictured. 
They  are  left  thus  for  a  day  or  two  to  tease  each  other.  Then  raise  the  partition, 
or  take  it  out,  and  allow  them  to  approach  each  other  when  they  usually  will  be 
found  to  have  formed  an  attachment.  This  being  the  case,  they  may  be  put  into 
the  large  pen  with  the  other  birds,  where  they  will  find  a  nest  box  and  go  to  house- 
keeping. If  they  fight  when  the  partition  is  removed,  try  a^ain,  or  try  other  mates. 
The  coop  pictured  above  is  two  feet  long,  one  foot  wide  and  one  foot  deep. 


70 


LA  VI NG  AND   HATCHING  71 

either  by  killing  the  parents  or  by  remating.  Usually  the 
trouble  comes  from  one  parent  bird,  which  you  find  by  turning 
up  the  feathers  and  examining  the  skin.  Having  found  the 
bird  which  is  at  fault,  kill  it.  This  point  has  come  up  con- 
tinually in  our  correspondence.  The  erroneous  belief  that 
white-feathered  birds  produce  the  whitest-skinned  squabs 
seems  to  be  widespread  and  we  are  asked  sometimes  for  a 
flock  of  breeders  "  all  white."  Our  experience  with  all  white 
Homers  is  that  they  are  smaller  and  have  less  stamina  than 
the  colored  ones.  The  marketmen  will  take  two  or  three  pairs 
of  dark-skinned  squabs  in  a  bunch  without  comment,  but 
an  excess  of  dark  ones  will  provoke  a  cut  in  price.  Breeders 
who  are  shipping  only  the  undressed  squabs  should  pluck 
feathers  now  and  then  to  see  just  what  color  of  squabs  they 
are  getting.  The  dark-colored  squabs  are  just  as  good  eating 
as  the  light-colored  ones,  but  buyers  for  the  hotels  and  clubs, 
and  those  who  visit  the  stalls,  generally  pick  out  the  plump 
white-skinned  squabs  in  preference  to  the  plump  dark-skinned 
ones.  As  a  rule,  squabs  from  Homer  pigeons  are  white- 
skinned — the  dark-colored  squab  is  an  exception. 

Many  beginners  wish  to  know  if  it  will  be  all  right  for  them 
to  buy  a  flock  and  keep  it  in  one  house  for  six  months  or  a 
year,  paying  no  attention  to  the  mating  or  pairing  of  the 
young  birds,  but  leaving  that  to  themselves,  so  as  to  get 
without  much  trouble  a  large  flock  before  the  killing  of  the 
squabs  for  market  begins.  Certainly,  you  may  do  this, 
providing  extra  nest  boxes  from  time  to  time  until  your 
squab  house  has  been  filled  with  nests;  then  you  will  have 
to  provide  overflow  quarters.  We  are  asked  if  the  flock  will 
not  become  weakened  by  inbreeding,  that  is,  a  brother  bird 
mating  up  to  a  sister,  by  chance.  According  to  the  law  of 
chances,  such  matings  would  take  place  not  very  often. 
Pigeons  in  a  wild  state,  on  the  face  of  a  cliff,  or  in  an  abandoned 
building,  would  pair  by  natural  selection.  The  stronger 
bird  gets  the  object  of  its  affection,  the  weaker  one  is,-killed 
off  or  gets  a  weaker  mate,  whose  young  are  shorter-lived,  so 
the  inevitable  result  is  more  strength  and  larger  size.  Nature 
works  slowly,  if  surely.  A  lot  of  pigeons  in  one  pen  mating  or 
pairing  as  they  please  when  old  enough  is  the  natural  way, 
and  if  you  follow  this,  you  cannot  go  very  far  wrong.  We 
advocate  matings  by  the  breeder  because  it  hurries  Nature 


72       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

along  the  path  which  makes  most  money  for  the  breeder. 
We  all  know  how  Darwin  studied  natural  and  forced  selection 
of  pigeons.  He  took  one  pigeon  with  a  certain  peculiarity, 
say  a  full  breast,  and  mated  it  to  another  pigeon  with  a  full 
breast.  The  squabs  from  these  birds,  when  grown,  had 
breasts  fuller  than  their  parents.  Then  these  in  turn  were 
mated  to  full-breasted  pigeons  from  other  parents,  and  the 
grandchildren  had  even  larger  breasts.  Darwin's  experi- 
ments covered  a  period  of  over  twenty  years  and  in  this  time  he 
developed  little  faults  and  peculiarities  to  an  amazing  degree. 
Every  intelligent,  careful  pigeon  breeder  is  striving  by  his 
forced  matings  to  push  along  the  path  of  progress  the  peculiar- 
ity in  pigeons  which  is  his  specialty.  The  breeder  who  selects 
most  carefully  and  keeps  at  it  the  longest  wins  over  the 
others.  By  selecting  from  your  best  and  most  prolific 
breeders  the  biggest  and  fattest  squabs,  keeping  them  for 
breeders  and  mating  so  as  to  get  something  larger  and  plumper, 
you  are  all  the  time  getting  bigger  squabs.  Every  breeder 
of  squabs  has  it  in  his  power  to  increase  the  efficiency  of  his 
flock  by  studying  his  matings.  There  is  commerical  satis- 
faction in  breeding  for  size  and  plumpness  because  it  pays 
at  once,  and  at  the  same  time  the  breeder  has  the  satisfaction 
of  increasing  the  stamina  and  variety  of  pigeons. 

To  be  master  of  the  matings,  the  breeder  should  band  his 
squabs.  As  scon  as  they  are  weaned  (that  is,  as  soon  as  the 
breeder  sees  them  flying  to  the  feed  and  eating  it)  they  should 
be  taken  and  put  into  one  of  the  rearing  pens.  When  about 
six  months  old,  the  breeder  should  begin  mating  them  by 
selection,  using  the  mating  coop,  then  when  they  are  mated 
turn  the  pair  into  a  working  pen  with  other  adult  birds.  By 
looking  at  the  number  on  the  band  of  each  bird,  then  on  your 
record  card,  you  know  how  to  avoid  mating  up  brother  and 
sister. 

When  the  young  birds  are  just  over  four  weeks  old,  or 
between  four  and  six  weeks,  they  are  able  to  fly  a  little,  and 
if  they  do  not  hop  out  of  the  nest  (or  are  not  pushed  out  by 
the  parents)  you  may  push  them  out  yourself.  They  are 
now  able  to  feed  themselves.  If  these  young  birds  are  left 
in  the  squab  house,  they  will  bother  the  old  birds  by  begging 
for  food,  and  this  infantile  nagging  will  hinder  the  regular 
breeders  in  their  next  hatch,  so  the  very  best  thing  to  do  is 


LA  YING  AND   HATCHING  73 

to  put  the  young  birds  by  themselves  into  a  rearing  pen, 
where  they  cannot  bother  anybody. 

Of  course  there  is  likely  to  be  a  little  inbreeding  when  you 
leave  the  birds  to  choose  for  themselves,  but  not  much.  If 
the  breeder  has  not  the  time  to  make  forced  matings,  then 
he  may  not  care  to  make  them.  Remember  in 'mating  that 
like  begets  like.  The  parent  bird  that  feeds  its  young  the 
most,  and  most  often,  will  raise  the  biggest  squab.  Some- 
times a  parent  bird  will  have  fine  nursing  abilities  and  will 
stuff  its  offspring  with  food.  These  good-feeding  qualities 
are  transmitted  from  one  generation  to  another  and  are  as 
much  under  the  control  of  the  breeder  as  size  and  flesh-color. 
Your  biggest  squabs  will  be  found  to  have  an  extra-attentive 
father  or  mother,  or  both.  A  pigeon  with  a  dark  skin,  if 
mated  to  a  white-skinned  bird  will  produce  a  mulatto-like 
squab.  It  is  the  large,  fat,  white-fleshed  squab  which  you  are 
after.  Disregard  the  color  of  the  feathers  when  mating. 
If  when  plucking  your  squabs  you  come  across  a  "nigger," 
that  is,  a  squab  with  a  dark  skin,  find  out  what  pair  of  breeders 
it  came  from  and  whether  the  cock  or  the  hen  is  at  fault, 
and  get  rid  of  the  faulty  one.  It  is  important  to  start  with 
adult  birds  that  are  not  related,  then  you  will  not  begin 
inbreeding.  That  is  why  we  make  a  special  effort  with  our 
adult  birds  to  have  them  unrelated. 

Some  letters  from  customers  make  plain  to  us  that  a  clear 
knowledge  of  what  inbreeding  means  is  not  possessed  by 
everybody.  Several  have  written  to  this  effect:  "  If  I  buy 
two  or  three  dozen  pairs  from  you  to  start,  how  can  I  increase 
the  size  of  my  flock  without  inbreeding?"  When  (1)  a 
brother  is  mated  to  sister  or  (2)  a  father  to  a  daughter,  or  (3) 
a  mother  to  a  son,  or  (4)  a  grandson  to  his  grandmother,  etc. 
that  is  inbreeding.  We  know  it  is  forbidden  by  law  for 
human  beings  to  mate  in  that  manner,  because  (a)  God  in  the 
Scriptures  has  forbidden  it,  and  (6)  because  the  State  does 
not  wish  to  have  to  care  for  the  puny,  weak-minded  offspring 
that  would  result  from  such  unions.  We  all  know  that  the 
marriages  of  cousins  often  result  in  demented,  diseased  chil- 
dren. Now  suppose  you  buy  two  dozen  pairs  of  pigeons  of 
us,  and  number  them  pairs  one  to  twenty -four.  If  you  mate 
the  offspring  of  pair  two  (or  any  other  pair)to  the  offspring  of 
pair  one  (or  any  other  pair)  that  is  outbreeding  or  cross- 


74       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

breeding.  What  you  do  not  do,  and  what  you  try  to  prevent, 
is  the  mating  of  the  offspring  of  pair  number  one  (or  any  other 
pair)  to  each  other.  So,  you  see,  if  you  have  a  dozen  or  two 
pairs,  you  need  never  inbreed,  for  there  is  an  infinite  variety 
of  matings  possible.  Breeders  of  animals  sometimes  inbreed 
purposely  in  order  to  get  better  color  of  fur  or  plumage,  or 
finer  bones,  etc.  There  are  no  brothers  and  sisters  in  the 
flocks  we  sell.  If  you  buy  one  dozen  or  twenty  dozen  pairs 
of  breeders  of  us,  the  pairs  will  be  unrelated,  and  you  need 
never  inbreed.  We  never  heard  a  real  pigeon  breeder  worry 
much  about  inbreeding,  because  the  likelihood  of  it  in  a  flock 
of  even  a  dozen  pairs  is  extremely  remote,  as  we  have  demon- 
strated above. 


PIGEONS  IN  ST.  MARK'S  SQUARE,   VENICE. 

Get  acquainted  with  the  pigeons  which  you  buy  of  us,  and  let  them  get  ac- 
quainted with  you.  They  will  work  all  the  better  for  being  tame  and  docile.  These 
pigeons  in  Venice  are  fed  by  tourists  on  corn  only.  A  peddler  selling  whole  corn 
for  two  cents  a  package  sits  all  day  long  on  the  steps  at  the  base  of  the  monument. 
Several  photographers  in  the  square  make  a  specialty  of  taking  pictures  of  tourists 
feeding  the  pigeons;  snap  shots  by  amateurs  are  constantly  being  made.  In  this 
city  of  canals,  these  pigeons  get  no  grit,  in  fact  nothing  but  the  corn,  and  they  would 
die  if  obliged  to  pick  up  a  living  for  themselves.  They  are  healthy,  proving  the 
incorrectness  of  the  assertion  that  a  feed  of  nothing  but  corn  will  cause  canker. 
They  are  small,  however,  of  stunted  growth.  They  are  so  tame  that  they  will  perch 
on  your  hand  and  eat  grains  of  corn  held  in  your  lips. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

INCREASE  OF  FLOCK. 

//  is  Possible  to  Breed  One  Pair  of  Squabs  Each  Month,  but 
in  Actual  Practice  this  is  Seldom  Attained — The  Squab 
Raiser  with  Pure  Thoroughbred  Homers  should  Count  on 
Six  to  Nine  Pairs  of  Squabs  a  Year — The  Common  Pigeon 
Breeds  Only  Four  or  Five  Pairs  of  Squabs  a  Year,  but 
Eats  as  Much  or  More  than  the  Homer— Differences 
between  the  Homer  and  the  Common  Pigeon — Good  Homers 
Scarce  and  the  Market  for  them  Firm  and  Steady. 

It  is  theoretically  possible  for  a  pair  of  pigeons  to  breed 
twelve  pairs  of  squabs  a  year,  for  it  takes  only  seventeen 
days  for  the  eggs  to  hatch,  and  the  hen  goes  to  laying  again 
when  the  hatch  is  only  two  weeks  old.  So,  if  you  start  with 
twelve  pairs  of  ~Homer  pigeons,  and  they  should  breed  one 
pair  of  squabs  a  month,  at  the  end  of  the  first  month  you 
would  have  twenty-four  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  second 
month,  forty-eight  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  third  month, 
seventy-two  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  fourth  month,  ninety- 
six  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  fifth  month,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  squabs.  Now  the  first  lot  of  squabs  which  your  birds 
hatched  will  be  ready  to  mate  and  lay  eggs,  so  at  the  end  of 
the  sixth  month  you  should  have  one  hundred  and  sixty- 
eight  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  seventh  month,  two  hundred 
and  forty  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  eighth  month,  three 
hundred  and  thirty-six  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  ninth 
month,  four  hundred  and  fifty-six  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the 
tenth  month,  six  hundred  squabs;  at  the  end  of  the  eleventh 
month,  seven  hundred  and  sixty-eight  squabs,  and  at  the  end 
of  the  twelfth  month,  nine  hundred  and  sixty  squabs.  Such 
figures  are  purely  theoretical  and  are  seldom  attained  in  actual 
practice.  You  will  have  some  pairs  in  your  flock  which 
will  raise  ten  and  eleven  pairs  of  squabs  a  year,  but  the 
average  will  be  seven  to  nine  pairs  of  squabs  a  year.  If  you 
get  less,  your  flock  is  not^pure  thoroughbred  Homers,  or  your 
feeding  and  nesting  arrangements  are  wrong.  In  our  visit 
to  squab  breeders  in  1902,  we  asked  every  one  with  whom 

75 


76       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

we  talked  how  many  pairs  a  year  he  was  getting  from  his 
birds,  and  about  all  of  them  said  seven  to  nine.  This  expe- 
rience corresponds  with  ours.  We  remember  particularly 
an  old  gentleman,  Preacher  Hubbell,  in  Vineland,  who  had 
been  in  the  squab  business  for  years  but  was  just  going  out 
of  it,  having  sold  his  place,  pigeons  and  all,  to  a  Swede  farmer. 
He  told  us  he  had  always  made  squabs  pay  him  and  that  his 
birds,  of  which  he  kept  a  careful  record,  raised  him  nine 
pairs  to  the  year  right  along. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  the  common  pigeon  will  breed 
only  four  or  five  pairs  of  squabs  a  year,  and  if  handlers  of  big 
flocks  of  common  pigeons,  like  Johnson  of  California,  can  make 
a  net  profit  of  one  dollar  per  pair  a  year  from  such  low  breeders, 
we  think  anybody  of  no  experience  is  justified  in  believing 
our  statement  that  our  Homers  are  capable  of  earning  a  net 
profit  of  from  two  to  three  dollars  per  pair  a  year,  taking  into 
account  not  only  their  fast  breeding  qualities,  but  the  superior 
size  of  the  squabs.  Here  in  New  England  we  consider  the 
common  pigeons  inconstant  and  happy-go-lucky  breeders. 
They  are  not  in  the  same  class  at  all  with  the  Homer  pigeon. 

The  common  pigeon,  the  pigeon  which  flies  the  streets  of 
our  cities  and  towns,  is  a  mixture  of  all  kinds  of  pigeons,  and 
it  partakes  of  the  faults  of  each,  and  not  of  the  virtues.  Its 
outward  appearance  is  large,  but  it  is  an  effect  of  feathers  and 
not  of  flesh.  Its  feathers  are  loose  and  fluffy  and  its  muscles 
soft  and  flabby.  Its  head  is  smaller  than  that  of  a  Homer, 
the  deficiency  being  marked  in  the  curve  of  the  skull  which 
covers  the  brain.  The  Homer  has  a  white  flesh  ring  around 
the  eye,  but  the  common  pigeon  has  none.  The  Homer  has 
the  largest  brain  of  any  variety  of  pigeon,  and  discloses  this 
fact  by  its  behavior.  It  has  more  sense  and  behaves  with 
more  intelligence.  Its  wonderful  homing  instinct  marks 
it  above  and  beyond  all  classes  of  pigeons  and  it  is  this  quality 
which  gives  it  a  commercial  value  all  over  the  world.  The 
feathers  of  the  Homer  are  laid  close  like  a  woman's  glove  and 
the  muscles  under  it  feel  as  hard  and  firm  as  a  piece  of  wood. 
Its  breast  is  firm  and  well  protected,  with  just  the  right  amount 
of  fullness.  Its  chest  is  large,  indicating  good  lung  power  and 
staying  qualities.  Its  wings  are  trim  and  shapely,  in  flight 
the  poetry  of  motion.  The  poise  of  ife  body  and  head  reminds 
one  of  a  race-horse  listening  for  the  signal  to  speed  over  the 


INCREASE  OF  FLOCK  77 

course.  The  lines  from  the  neck  to  the  body  descend  in  a 
long,  graceful  sweep.  Put  a  thoroughbred  Homer  into  a 
flock  of  common  pigeons  and  even  a  novice,  if  told  to  pick  out 
the  bird  which  would  fly  the  fastest  and  furthest,  would  pick 
out  the  Homer.  The  Homer  has  a  long  bill  (but  not  so  long 
as  the  Dragoon  pigeon).  The  bill  of  the  common  pigeon  is 
short.  Its  bill  is  more  hooked  and  is  sharper  pointed.  Its 
head  is  shorter  and  more  rounding  on  top. 

The  common  pigeon  is  seldom  bred  in  captivity,  because  it 
does  not  pay  for  the  grain  which  it  consumes.  If  bred  in  a 
wild  state,  it  picks  up  a  living  in  the  neighborhood,  the  owner 
not  keeping  it  wired  in.  It  is  the  cheapest  kind  of  a  pigeon, 
and  thousands  of  pairs  are  used  by  trap  shooters.  Under- 
takers sometimes  buy  the  white  common  pigeons  in  order  to 
liberate  them  at  graves,  to  signify  the  ascent  of  the  soul  to 
heaven.  Common  pigeons  will  live  anywhere,  do  not  get 
attached  to  any  home,  but  a  Homer  never  forgets  the  place 
where  it  was  bred  and  will  search  out  its  home  in  long  flights. 
Common  pigeons  will  alight  on  any  building  and  will  drink 
from  different  springs  and  wells,  fouling  them  and  making 
themselves  a  nuisance  in  a  neighborhood.  The  Homer  will 
alight  only  on  its  own  squab  house  and  drink  only  at  its  own 
home.  Common  pigeons  sell  for  fifty  cents  a  pair  and  are 
frequently  offered  as  Homers.  Do  not  start  with  common 
pigeons  and  think  to  learn  the  habits  of  squab  breeders  with 
them.  If  you  cross  a  common  with  a  Homer  pigeon  you  will 
take  away  the  good  qualities  of  the  Homer  and  add  nothing. 
There  is  not  one  element  in  a  common  pigeon  which  if  added 
to  a  Homer  would  improve  the  offspring.  It  is  hard  to 
convince  some  people  that  there  is  any  difference  in  pigeons 
whose  feathers  are  the  same  color.  The  result  is  they  buy 
the  cheapest  they  can  get.  After  feeding  them  for  a  time  and 
getting  no  profitable  results,  they  are  compelled  to  sell  them 
to  the  first  trap  shooter  who  comes  along,  and  they  go  among 
their  townspeople  declaring  that  the  pigeon  business  is  no 
good.  Remember  this  point,  that  if  you  are  going  to  buy 
grain  and  feed  it  to  anything  so  as  to  get  a  profit,  it  is  the 
best  policy  to  feed  it  to  that  grade  of  animal  which  will  show 
the  largest  profit.  Very  few  people  are  satisfied  with  shoddy 
suits  nowadays,  even  if  they  look  almost  as  well  as  the  all- 
wool  garments.  It  is  the  wear  which  the  customer  is  after. 


78       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Beware  of  shoddy  pigeons.  Buy  the  best  Homers  you  can 
get,  they  will  wear  best  and  give  you  the  most  pride.  Ex- 
perienced poultrymen  do  not  go  here  and  there  looking  for 
fowls  at  cut  prices.  They  buy  breeding  stock  of  a  reliable 
breeder  which  is  reliable  and  sold  at  a  price  which  will  enable 
the  seller  to  deliver  a  high  quality  article.  We  can  tell  when 
an  order  for  our  breeding  stock  comes  from  an  old  poultry- 
man,  for  they  all  write:  "  I  want  the  best  stock  you  can  give 
me." 

Good  Homers  do  not  glut  the  markets.  They  are  always 
fairly  scarce,  and  the  price  for  them  has  always  been  well 
kept  up.  Beware  of  cheap  Homers  for  sale  at  cut  prices. 
There  is  always  something  the  matter  with  such  birds.  They 
have  been  worked  too  long  and  are  played  out,  or  if  a  flock 
is  offered  "  at  a  bargain,"  the  birds  do  not  produce  the  large, 
plump,  No.  1  squab,  but  only  culls.  If  a  squab  breeder  is 
going  to  quit  the  business  and  offers  you  his  flock  of  birds  on 
the  bargain  counter,  make  him  give  a  good  reason  to  you  for 
selling.  If  he  has  been  unable  to  make  the  flock  pay,  you  may 
be  sure  that  you  will  be  unable  to  make  them  pay.  If  he 
offers  them  to  you  without  a  good  reason  for  selling,  the 
chances  are  that  it  is  a  poor  flock  and  he  has  got  tired  of  buying 
grain  for  them,  and  wishes  to  saddle  the  burden  upon  you.  We 
are  always  selling  breeders  and  it  is  very  much  to  our  interest 
to  protect  our  reputation  by  sending  out  only  good  Homers 
that  will  make  money  for  their  owners.  This  is  what  we 
do,  and  our  large  business  has  been  built  up  by  square  dealing, 
and  knowing  the  business  thoroughly. 

A  pair  of  Homers  capable  of  earning  a  pair  of  squabs  in  one 
month  which  will  sell  for  at  least  fifty  cents  is  worth  more  than 
one  dollar  or  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  a  pair.  A  pair 
of  birds  capable  of  earning  only  a  ten-cent  or  twenty-cent 
pair  of  squabs  once  in  two  or  three  months  is  worth  only 
fifty  cents  a  pair.  Jersey  cows  are  worth  more  than  common 
cows  because  they  earn  more.  Good  Homer  pigeons,  bred 
skilfully ,  are  worth  more  than  poor  Homers '  because  they 
earn  more. 


CHAPTER   VIII. 

KILLING  AND  COOLING. 

Kill  the  Squabs  in  the  Morning  when  their  Crops  are  Empty 
-  Not  Necessary  to  Use  a  Knife,  their  Necks  may  be 
Tweaked  —  Drive  the  Animal  Heat  out  of  their  Bodies  by 
Hanging  them  from  Nails  —  The  Ideal  Squab  when 
Shipped  has  an  Empty  Crop,  its  Feet  have  been  Washed 
Clean,  and  No  Blood  Shows  —  Sorting  Squabs  so  as  to  Get 
the  Highest  Price  from  the  Dealer. 

The  time  to  kill  the  squabs  is  in  the  morning,  when  the 
crops  are  empty.  In  killing  them  it  is  not  necessary  to  use 
a  knife.  Hold  each  squab  in  the  manner  shown  in  the 
illustration  and  break  the  neck  with  a  sudden  pull  and  push. 
Do  not  pull  too  hard  or  you  will  sever  the  neck  from  the  body. 
Some  of  our  customers  have  hard  work  to  get  this  knack  of 
tweaking  the  necks  and  prefer  to  wring  the  necks,  or  to  use  a 
knife.  To  wring  the  neck,  hold  the  squab  by  the  head  in 
the  right  hand  and  throw  the  body  around  in  a  complete 
circle,  this  act  twisting  and  breaking  the  neck. 

After  the  squabs  are  killed  they  must  be  cooled.  In  other 
words  the  animal  heat  must  be  driven  out  of  their  bodies. 
Provide  a  piece  of  board  or  studding  eight  or  ten  feet  long  and 
every  four  inches  along  this  studding  drive  a  couple  of  nine 
penny  wire  finish  nails  close  together,  but  not  so  close  that 
you  cannot  squeeze  in  the  legs  of  the  squabs.  A  finish  wire 
nail  has  no  large  head  like  an  ordinary  wire  nail.  Suspend 
the  studding  from  the  ceiling  by  means  of  wire  adjusted  at 
both  ends  of  the  studding.  This  method  of  hanging  it  up  is 
to  prevent  rats  and  cats  from  climbing  up  onto  the  studding, 
walking  along  it  and  eating  the  squabs.  Place  the  feet 
of  the  squabs  between  the  wire  nails  and  let  them  hang  down- 
wards over  night.  In  the  morning  the  heat  will  be  all  out  of 
their  bodies  and  you  can  pack  and  ship  them.  If  you  are 
delivering  plucked  squabs  to  market,  you  do  not  need  such 
an  arrangement,  but  will  throw  the  bodies  into  a  tub  of  ice 
water  (or  cold  spring  water)  after  you  have  plucked  them. 

When  plucking  the  feathers  from  the  killed  squabs,  the 

79 


INCORRECT  POSITION  OF  HANDS. 


CORRECT  POSITION  OF  HANDS. 

A  squab  is  killed  for  market  when  it  is  plump  and  well  feathered,  usually  when 
four  weeks  old,  although  many  are  ready  for  market  when  a  day  or  two  over  three 
weeks  old.  Hold  the  hands  close  together  on  the  neck,  as  shown  in  the  bottom 
picture  and  break  the  spine  of  the  bird  by  pulling  firmly  and  then  pushing  back. 
Do  not  put  so  much  strength  into  the  operation  that  you  pull  the  head  from  the  body. 
This  method  of  killing  is  faster  and  neater  than  using  a  knife. 


SO 


KILLING  AND  COOLING  81 

operator  should  moisten  his  thumb  and  forefinger  in  a  basin 
of  water,  to  give  him  a  grip  on  the  feathers.  They  come  off 
easily  and  an  experienced  picker  will  work  very  rapidly.  A 
sharp  pen-knife,  or  knife  such  as  shoemakers  use,  is  necessary 
to  remove  some  of  the  pin  feathers.  They  should  be  shaved 
off. 

Ignorance  of  how  to  cool  the  killed  squabs  properly  has 
discouraged  many  a  squab  raiser.  If  you  throw  the  squabs 
in  a  pile  on  the  floor  after  you  have  tweaked  their  necks,  you 
will  have  a  fermenting  mass  and  the  following  morning, 
when  you  are  ready  to  ship,  many  of  the  bodies  will  be  dark- 
colored  at  the  place  of  contact  with  the  floor,  or  with  other 
squabs,  and  decay  will  start  from  such  discolored  places. 
Hang  the  bodies  from  the  studding,  as  we  have  described,  and 
you  wll  cool  them  just  right  and  you  will  be  surprised  that 
this  part  of  the  business  ever  could  have  discouraged  anybody. 

If  you  number  the  nails  which  you  have  driven  into  the 
studding  you  will  know  just  how  many  squabs  you  hang  up, 
and  you  will  not  have  to  handle  the  squabs  a  second  time  to 
count  them. 

The  ideal  squab  which  brings  the  highest  price  in  the  market 
is  not  only  large  and  plump,  but  has  a  clean  crop,  so  that  no 
food  will  be  left  in  it  to  sour.  No  blood  shows  anywhere  on 
the  body  and  its  feet  are  clean.  Ship  in  small  quantities, 
especially  in  the  summer.  Do  not  pack  in  an  enormous  box, 
or  the  bottom  layers  will  suffer. 

A  squab  should  be  killed,  as  we  have  stated,  when  from 
three  to  four  weeks  old,  most  generally  at  four  weeks.  Do 
not  wait  until  it  is  five  or  six  weeks  old,  when  it  may  have  left 
the  nest.  As  soon  as  a  squab  is  old  enough  to  get  out  of  the 
nest  and  walk  around  on  the  floor  of  the  squab  house,  it 
quickly  trains  off  its  fat  and  grows  lean  and  slender.  Its 
flesh  also  loses  its  pure  white  co  or  and  takes  on  a  darker 
shade.  You  do  not  want  either  of  these  two  conditions. 

If  you  tie  up  your  killed  squabs  by  the  feet  when  shipping 
to  market,  do  not  tie  a  lean  with  a  fat  squab,  for  if  you  do  the 
dealer  probably  will  give  you  the  price  of  the  lean  one.  Put 
the  fat  squabs  in  one  bunch  and  the  lean  squabs  in  another 
bunch.  If  you  are  shipping  to  two  dealers,  you  can  very 
often  get  the  top  price  from  both  by  giving  one  your  best 
squabs  and  the  other  your  second  best. 


KILLED  SQUABS   HUNG  TO  COOL. 

After  the  squabs  have  been  killed  they  should  be  hung  as  this  picture  shows  to 
cool.  The  wooden  scantling  or  studding  is  several  feet  long  and  is  suspended  from 
the  ceiling  at  its  ends  by  wire,  so  that  cats  and  rats  cannot  climb  to  the  squabs.  A 
pair  of  nails  are  driven  in  four  inches  apart  and  the  squabs'  legs  set  in  between  them 


82 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE  MARKETS. 

Squabs  with  the  Feathers  on  Taken  by  the  Boston  and  Some 
Other  City  Markets — The  New  York  Market  Wants  Them 
Plucked  and  Pays  the  Highest  Price  of  Any  Northern  City 
— Interpretation  of  Quotations  of  Squabs  as  Seen  in  the  News- 
papers— White- Fleshed  Squabs  are  Wanted,  Not  Dark- 
Fleshed. 

The  Boston  market,  and  the  markets  in  some  other  cities, 
will  take  squabs  with  feathers  on.  It  is  only  necessary  for 
you  to  tweak  the  necks  of  the  squabs  and  send  them  to  the 
train,  after  they  have  cooled  over  night.  Some  shippers  do 
not  take  the  trouble  to  box  the  killed  squabs,  but  tie  their 
legs  together  with  string  and  send  them  along  to  market. 
In  the  baggage  cars  of  the  trains  running  into  Boston  you  will 
sometimes  see  strings  of  squabs  going  in  to  the  dealers  in  this 
way. 

The  New  York  market  demands  squabs  plucked.  The 
squab  breeders  who  have  large  plants  and  who  ship  to  the1 
New  York  market  employ  pluckers  and  pay  them  by  the 
piece.  A  skillful  plucker  will  strip  feathers  from  squabs  at 
the  rate  of  ten  to  twenty  squabs  an  hour.  The  proper  time  to 
pluck  the  killed  squab  is  immediately  after  killing.  When 
picked  clean,  throw  the  squab  into  cold  water  and  leave  it 
there  over  night  to  plump  out  and  harden  the  flesh.  In  the 
summer  use  ice  water. 

The  squab  puts  on  more  feathers  than  flesh  during  the 
last  few  days  of  its  growth  and  if  you  see  squabs  which  are 
only  three  weeks  old,  but  which  are  of  good  size,  you  may  save 
a  week  on  feed  by  killing  the  squab  at  that  age  and  plucking 
it.  When  the  feathers  are  off  of  it,  it  looks  like  the  four  weeks 
squabs  which  have  not  matured  so  rapidly. 

If  you  are  shipping  to  the  New  York  market,  you  should 
pack  your  squabs  in  a  neat  white  wood  box,  printed  if  you 
please.  Do  not  use  a  pine  box  for  if  you  do  the  odor  of  the 
pine  will  penetrate  the  squabs. 

The  New  York  market  for  squabs  is  the  best  in  the  North. 

83 


84       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Squabs  delivered  by  our  customers  there  invariably  bring 
from  one  to  one  dollar  and  fifty  per  dozen  more  than  the 
Boston  market.  This  is  because  there  are  more  rich  people 
in  New  York  than  there  are  in  Boston,  and  they  are  more 
free  with  their  money  in  providing  luxuries  for  their  table 
than  Boston  folks.  We  do  not  mean  to  disparage  the  Boston 
market  for  squabs,  which  is  always  good,  averaging  three 
dollars  a  dozen,  but  we  wish  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the 
New  York  market  is  a  phenomenal  one.  Anybody  living 
near  New  York  can  make  a  fortune  raising  squabs.  Our 
largest  orders  have  come  from  customers  who  are  shipping 
to  New  York. 

Not  all  the  New  York  newspapers  print  market  quotation 
of  squabs.  The  New  York  Evening  Sun  is  an  exception. 
All  through  the  winter  squabs  are  quoted  in  the  Evening  Sun 
at  five  dollars  a  dozen.  This  means  that  a  squab  breeder 
shipping  to  New  York  should  have  got  six  dollars  and  seven 
dollars  for  a  choice  product,  from  private  customers. 

A  correspondent  in  New  York  State  sends  a  clipping  from 
the  New  York  Tribune's  market  columns  and  asks  for  an 
interpretation.  We  quote  from  it  as  follows: 

"  Pigeons,  20c.;  squabs,  prime,  large,  white,  per  doz.,  $3.50 
and  $3.75;  ditto,  mixed,  $2.75  and  $3;  ditto,  dark,  $1.75 
and  $2." 

The  quotation,  "  Pigeons,  20  cents,"  means  twenty  cents 
a  pair  for  common  old  killed  pigeons.  These  tough  old  birds 
are  occasionally  found  in  the  markets  and  are  worth  only 
ten  or  fifteen  cents  apiece.  They  are  neither  squabs  nor  the 
old  Homer  pigeons,  but  are  common  pigeons  such  as  fly  in 
the  streets.  A  small  boy  might  get  a  pair  of  these  street 
pigeons  and  kill  them  and  give  them  to  a  butcher  who  would 
pay  him  fifteen  or  twenty  cents  a  pair.  These  cheap  pigeons 
come  into  the  eastern  markets  largely  from  the  West  in  barrels 
and  are  sold  to  Boston  commission  men  for  five  cents  apiece, 
or  fifty  cents  a  dozen.  They  are  retailed  at  from  one  dollar 
to  one  dollar  and  twenty  cents  a  dozen.  They  are  in  the 
Chicago  market  masquerading  as  squabs.  They  have  been 
killed  with  guns  and  have  shot  in  their  bodies.  If  you  ask 
for  pigeon  pie  at  one  of  the  cheap  Boston  restaurants,  you 
will  get  a  shot  or  two  against  your  teeth  with  mouthfuls. 
After  every  trap-shooting  contest  some  skulker  goes  over  the 


THE  MARKETS  85 

field  and  gathers  up  all  the  killed  and  mained  birds  he  can 
find,  and  sells  them  for  two  and  three  cents  apiece,  or  for 
anything  he  can  get,  and  these  find  their  way  into  the  markets. 
The  cruel  practice  of  pigeon  shooting  by  miscalled  "sports- 
men "  on  Long  Island  is  quite  common,  and  the  presence  of 
these  birds  in  the  New  York  butcher  shops  accounts  for  the 
above  quotation  in  the  Tribune.  It  is  unnecessary  to  add 
that  such  birds  do  not  compete  with  squabs.  They  can  be 
made  palatable  only  by  stewing  for  hours  in  a  pie,  which  takes 
out  a  little  of  their  toughness.  There  is  now  a  law  in  New 
York  forbidding  pigeon  shooting. 

As  to  squabs,  the  quotation,  "  Prime,  large,  white,  per  dozen 
$3.50  and  $3.75,"  is  for  the  kind  of  squabs  that  are  raised 
from  our  Homers,  namely,  No.  1  grade. 

By  the  quotation,  "  Mixed,  $2.75  and  $3.00,"  is  meant  that 
these  amounts  are  paid  for  lots  of  birds  composed  of  No.  1 
and  No.  2  grades,  mixed.  If  you  sort  up  your  birds  care- 
fully you  will  be  able  to  get  the  No.  1  prices  for  all.  Some 
people  do  not  know  how  to  sort  them,  and  they  have  to  be 
satisfied  with  the  price  of  a  mixed  lot. 

By  the  quotation,  "  Dark,  $1.75  and  $2.00,"  is  meant  the 
dark-fleshed  squabs,  as  you  have  learned  by  reading  our 
Manual.  Squabs  whose  flesh  is  dark  do  not  sell  for  as  much 
as  the  white-fleshed  squabs. 

Pigeons  are  of  all  colors,  i.  <?.,  as  you  see  their  feathers,  and 
the  squabs  likewise,  but  when  you  pluck  the  feathers  off  the 
flesh  is  either  a  pure  white  with  a  tinge  of  yellow,  or  dark  like 
a  negro's  skin. 

Quotations  for  squabs  as  found  in  the  market  reports  in 
the  newspapers  are  always  lower  than  they  really  are.  The 
writers  of  the  market  columns  in  the  daily  papers  see  only  the 
commission  men  and  cater  only  to  them;  they  smoke  the 
commission  men's  cigars  and  believe  what  the  commission 
men  tell  them.  They  do  not  see  the  producer  at  all.  The 
object  of  the  commission  men  is  to  get  the  squabs  as  cheaply  as 
they  can.  When  you  are  breeding  squabs  make  up  your  mind 
to  get  from  twenty-five  cents  to  one  dollar  or  more  per  dozen 
than  you  see  quoted  in  the  market  reports.  The  only  way  to 
find  out  the  truth  about  the  squab  markets  is  to  go  into  them 
and  offer  to  buy  squabs,  not  to  sell  them.  Then  you  will  learn 
the  true  prices. 


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THE  MARKETS  87 

At  the  same  time  the  report  quoted  above  was  printed  in 
the  New  York  Tribune  a  breeder  in  Mauricetown,  N.  J.,  was 
getting  from  four  dollars  and  twenty -five  cents  to  four  dollars 
and  fifty  cents  a  dozen  for  his  squabs.  (This  was  the  last 
week  in  January,  1902.)  You  see,  it  does  not.  pay  to  trust 
wholly  to  the  market  reports  in  the  newspapers.  The  motive 
of  the  city  men  is  to  get  their  goods  as  cheaply  as  they  can.  It 
is  your  motive  to  get  as  much  as  you  can,  and  don't  be  fooled 
by  second-hand  information.  Go  direct  to  headquarters 
yourself  in  person  and  learn  the  truth.  If  the  middleman 
tries  to  hold  down  the  price  to  you,  go  to  a  consumer  and 
make  your  bargain  with  him  at  top  prices. 

A   breeder  in   New  Jersey   writes  that   there   are   several 
squab  breeders  in  his  town,  all  of  whom  give  their  regular 
time  to  other  businesses.     He  continues:    "  I  am  now  (Feb- 
ruary,  1902),  getting  thirty-two  cents  each  as  they  run,  no 
sorting,  for  what  few  squabs  I   am  now  raising,   and  they 
are  sold  to  a  man  who  calls  every  Tuesday  for  them.     When  • 
I  have  enough,  I  ship  direct  to  New  York  by  express.     They  / 
sort  them  in  New  York." 

This  is  doing  extremely  well  for  unsorted  squabs.  It  is 
only  another  bit  of  evidence  which  proves  the  money -making 
condition  of  the  New  York  market.  (The  above  correspon- 
dent's breeders  are  not  first-class,  he  admits,  saying  he  has 
been  breeding  for  seven  years  and  his  flock  has  run  down.) 

The  Kansas  City  market  does  not  yet  know  what  a  fat 
squab  is.  The  only  things  obtainable  there  are  the  squabs  of 
common  pigeons,  which  are  quoted  low,  as  they  are  all  over 
the  country.  A  correspondent  in  Atchison  writes:  "  I  wrote 
to  the  Kansas  City  dealer  again,  telling  him  I  thought  his 
prices  were  pretty  low  for  Homer  squabs.  He  replied  that 
they  had  so  few  Homers  offered  that  they  did  not  quote  them, 
and  they  would  be  worth  from  two  dollars  to  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  per  dozen.  He  quoted  common  pigeon  squabs  at 
one  dollar  and  twenty -five  cents  to  one  dollar  and  seventy-five 
per  dozen,  as  I  wrote  you  before.  That  is  better,  and  I  want 
to  try  raising  them  as  soon  as  I  can  get  into  a  place  where  I 
can  handle  them." 

Fact  is,  the  squabs  that  bring  from  three  to  five  dollars  a 
dozen  east  of  the  Mississippi  will  bring  that  (and  more)  as  soon 
as  the  wealthy  trade  of  Kansas  City  gets  a  taste  of  them. 


88       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Find  out  for  yourself  whether  your  market  wants  squabs 
with  the  feathers  on  or  off.  We  do  not  know  such  details 
about  the  squab  market  in  every  city  in  the  country  and  can- 
not advise  you  accurately  on  this  point  if  you  write  to  us 
from  a  distant  town  or  city. 

The  best  way  to  find  out  the  facts  concerning  the  squab 
market  is  to  go  from  place  to  place,  or  to  write,  offering  not  to 
sell  squabs  but  to  buy  them.  The  squab  sellers  are  much 
more  interested  in  a  possible  buyer  than  a  possible  seller. 
They  receive  letters  from  many  inquirers  about  markets  but 
as  a  rule  pay  scant  attention  to  them  unless  the  writer  is 
really  producing  squabs  and  has  them  for  sale. 


SQUAB  HOUSE  BUILT  OF  LOGS 


CHAPTER  X. 

PIGEONS'  AILMENTS. 

Canker  a  Filth  Disease  which  Makes  its  Appearance  in  Nasty, 
Cramped  and  Crowded  Quarters  —  It  is  a  Captivity  Disease 
and  a  Sure  Cure  for  it  is  to  Turn  the  Bird  Loose  to  Get  a 
Change  of  Food  and  Plenty  of  Exercise  —  A  Flock  Supplied 
with  Pure  Food  and  Clean  Water  Never  will  be  Sick  - 
Canker  is  Not  Epidemic  —  //  does  Not  Pay  to  Dose  a 
Sick  Pigeon,  Better  Turn  it  Out  to  Get  Well. 

The  principal  ailment  met  with  by  the  squab  breeder  is 
canker.  This  ailment  is  a  puzzle  to  some  breeders  and  they 
are  alarmed  when  it  makes  an  appearance  in  their  flock,  as 
it  does  if  the  feed  is  poor  or  sour,  the  water  dirty,  or  the  squab 
house  filthy.  The  advice  which  they  give  when  they  find  a 
cankered  bird  is,  "Kill  it."  That  is  the  advice  we  used  to 
give  at  first,  but  now  we  know  better.  First,  what  is  canker? 
It  is  a  disease  of  which  you  know  the  cause  (filth,  poor  feed  or 
dirty  water)  and  whose  symptoms  you  see  in  the  form  of  a 
cheesy -like  deposit  in  the  mouth  of  the  pigeon,  and  breaking 
out  around  the  bill.  Catch  the  pigeon,  hold  it  in  your  lap 
and  force  open  its  bill  and  you  will  see  a  yellowish  patch  or 
patches  in  the  mouth,  and  the  mouth  will  usually  be  filled 
with  a  yellowish  deposit  which  smells  bad.  The  disease  is 
not  serious.  The  trouble  lies  with  the  feed  and  the  filth  and 
that  is  what  spreads  the  same  symptoms  from  one  pigeon  to 
another.  A  case  of  canker  in  your  flock  should  be  a  warning 
to  you  that  the  feed  or  water  is  wrong,  or  that  you 
have  a  filthy  house.  Do  not  get  alarmed  and  kill  the  bird. 
Catch  the  affected  pigeon,  carry  it  out  of  your  flying  pen 
and  squab  house  and  throw  it  into  the  air.  The  bird  may 
fly  away  and  lose  itself,  and  if  it  does  you  are  out  one  pigeon 
just  as  if  you  had  killed  it.  The  chances  are,  however,  as  jp 
the  case  of  any  sick  animal,  that  it  will  linger  around  home. 
Now  you  will  be  surprised  to  see  how  quickly  that  pigeon's 
health  will  improve.  Not  having  a  steady  supply  of  food 
before  it,  it  will  have  to  hustle  for  a  living,  and  this  exercise 
and  the  change  of  living,  and  the  scanty  living,  will  effect  the 


PAIR  OF  HOMERS  BILLING. 

This  illustration  is  made  from  a  photograph  of  a  pair  of  our  pigeons  caught  in 
the  act  of  billing,  or  kissing.  The  pigeon  on  the  left  is  the  male  and  on  the  right 
the  female.  Billing  is  one  of  the  acts  of  love  making.  Mounting  and  treading 
generally  follow  immediately  after  billing. 


90 


PIGEONS'  AILMENTS  91 

cure.  It  will  get  more  fresh  air,  and  a  great  deal  more  exercise, 
and  more  sun,  than  it  would  get  if  lett  in  company  with  the 
other  birds.  In  about  a  week  you  will  notice  that  it  will  hold 
its  bill  tighter,  and  if  there  is  a  sore  on  the  outside  of  the  bill 
you  will  see  this  sore  dry  up.  In  two  weeks  the  chances  are 
that  the  yellowish  deposit  on  the  interior  of  the  mouth  will 
be  entirely  gone.  The  pigeon  will  hover  around  the  other 
pigeons.  It  will  fly  to  the  outside  of  the  netting  and  look  at 
its  fellows.  Place  a  dish  on  the  ground  now  and  then  with  a 
little  feed  and  you  will  attract  it.  Catch  it  when  you  have  a 
favorable  opportunity  either  with  a  net  on  the  end  of  a  pole, 
or  with  a  broom,  pinning  it  into  a  corner.  You  may  have  to 
try  several  times,  but  you  will  get  it  after  a  while.  Its  eye 
will  be  brighter  and  signs  of  disease  will  be  gone,  and  you  can 
put  it  back  into  the  squab  house  with  the  others.  The  exer- 
cise, sunlight,  change  of  food,  and  scanty  food,  have  made 
the  cure.  There  are  few  pigeons  so  bad  with  canker  that  they 
cannot  be  cured  in  this  way.  For  that  reason  we  have  not 
much  hesitation  in  saying  that  canker  is  a  captivity  disease, 
caused  by  lack  of  exercise  as  well  as  unavoidable  filth  and  too 
much  of  the  wrong  kind  of  feed.  We  have  observed  wild 
pigeons  in  the  streets  and  we  never  saw  a  case  of  canker  among 
them.  You  may  say  to  yourself  that  it  is  quite  a  risk  to 
throw  out  into  the  open  air  a  pigeon  which  has  cost  you  from 
seventy -five  cents  to  a  dollar,  but  it  is  better  to  do  this  than 
to  take  the  advice  of  all  other  breeders  and  books  and  kill  it. 

If  you  do  not  wish  to  throw  a  sick  pigeon  out  into  the  air 
to  get  well,  construct  a  box  with  wire  netting  over  the  front, 
and  put  the  pigeon  in  there  for  special  feeding  and  watering 
until  it  gets  well. 

Powdered  alum  sprinkled  in  the  drinking  water  now  and 
then  will  tend  to  ward  off  canker  from  a  flock. 

It  does  not  pay  to  dose  sick  pigeons,  because  a  cure  seldom 
is  obtained  by  dosing,  and  you  are  out  your  time. 

The  squab  breeder  who  follows  the  advice  as  to  feed  and 
water,  and  cleanliness  of  squab  house,  given  in  this  Manual, 
will  not  have  any  sick  pigeons.  It  is  so  very  easy  to  keep  a 
pigeon  in  perfect  health  that  the  fear  of  disease  is  a  bugbear 
not  worth  taking  into  account.  The  element  of  disease  is  a 
constant  source  of  worry  to  the  chicken  breeder,  and  a  source 
of  heavy  loss  to  the  best  of  them.  We  wish  to  assure  all  who 


92       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

contemplate  starting  in  the  squab  breeding  business  that  the 
pigeon  naturally  is  a  healthier  and  more  rugged  bird  than  the 
domestic  hen  and  that  positively  you  will  not  be  fussing  with 
remedies  and  cure-alls,  in  handling  them. 

"  Going  light,"  or  wasting  away,  is  an  ailment  of  pigeons 
occasionally  met  with.  The  cause  of  it  is  an  absence  of  grit 
and  salt.  If  your  staples  of  feed  are  provided  as  we  tell,  and 
you  give  a  variety  of  feed,  and  you  provide  grit  and  oyster 
shells,  you  will  have  no  cases  of  "  going  light."  The  disease 
is  known  by  a  steady  wasting  away  of  the  pigeon.  Catch 
it  and  you  feel  a  prominent  breastbone,  and  scanty  flesh, 
showing  that  some  element  in  the  feed  is  lacking. 


CHAPTER  XL 

GETTING  AHEAD. 

Make  your  Birds  Pay  for  themselves  as  they  Go  Along, 
unless  you  Wish  to  Wait  Patiently  until  a  Small  Flock 
Increases  to  a  Large  One  —  Better  to  Take  the  Money  Made 
from  Sale  of  Squabs  and  Buy  More  Adult  Birds  than  to 
Raise  the  Squabs,  Because  it  is  a  Long  Jump  from  Four 
Weeks  (the  Killing  Age)  to  Six  Months,  at  which  Age  the 
Birds  Begin  Breeding  —  Shipping  Points. 

It  is  the  birds  and  not  the  buildings  which  count  in  squab 
raising  and  if  you  have  fifty  dollars  to  start,  put  thirty -five 
dollars  or  forty  dollars  into  your  birds  and  the  balance  into 
your  building.  We  have  had  customers  start  with  a  hundred- 
dollar  building  and  put  a  ten-dollar  lot  of  birds  into  it,  con- 
tinuing to  buy  ten-dollar  lots  of  us  about  once  a  month  until 
they  had  their  flock  to  a  good  size,  but  we  believe  it  is  best  to 
let  the  buildings  follow  the  birds,  and  not  the  birds  the 
buildings.  In  other  words,  let  your  birds  earn  buildings  as 
they  go  along.  It  is  quite  a  drag  on  a  small  flock  to  weigh  it 
down  with  an  expensive  building  much  too  large  for  it. 

Put  this  down  in  your  mind  solid,  where  you  will  not  forget 
it:  Make  your  pigeons  pay  for  themselves  as  they  go. 

We  sell  to  a  great  many  poultrymen,  and  we  like  to  get  their 
orders,  for  they  have  been  through  the  mill  of  raising  feathered 
animals  and  are  practical,  and  they  are  quick  to  see  the  money 
in  squabs,  and  when  their  order  for  breeding  stock  comes 
along,  it  is  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten  a  large  order,  even  if  they 
have  had  no  previous  experience.  They  know  that  in  order 
to  sell  squabs  they  have  got  to  have  birds  enough  to  breed 
squabs  and  it  is  just  as  easy  for  them  to  spend  fifty  dollars  or 
one  hundred  dollars  at  the  start  as  it  is  for  them  to  spend  ten 
dollars  or  fifteen  dollars  and  use  up  one  hundred  dollars'  worth 
of  time  while  waiting  a  year  to  begin  selling  squabs. 

Many  beginners  are  so  skeptical  that  they  do  not  believe 
squabs  grow  to  market  size  in  one  month,  or  they  have  no 
confidence  in  their  ability  to  feed  the  mature  birds  so  as  to 
keep  them  alive.  They  wish  to  make  a  start  with  a  few  pairs 

93 


94       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

and  actually  convince  themselves.  We  do  not  believe  in 
untried  hands  plunging  into  something  of  which  they  know 
nothing,  and  we  commend  the  caution  of  the  beginner  with 
squabs  who  wishes  to  feel  his  way  and  "  make  haste  slowly  " 
as  the  saying  is,  nevertheless  we  know  it  to  be  a  fact  that  our 
customers  who  started  with  large  flocks  are  making  splendid 
successes,  and  we  are  not  so  cautious  as  we  were  in  former 
books  in  advising  a  small  purchase,  at  the  start.  The  rules 
for  breeding  we  have  given  have  stood  the  test  of  time;  we 
have  not  had  it  said  to  us  that  they  are  misleading  or  erroneous; 
on  the  contrary,  our  customers  write  and  tell  us  that  their 
experience  corresponds  with  ours,  that  the  books  are  all  right, 
and  our  business  has  increased  right  along.  When  a  customer 
orders  two  hundred  dollars'  worth  of  breeding  stock  of  us  and 
two  months  later  two  hundred  dollars'  worth  more  (we  sell  to 
some  customers  month  after  month  steadily,  as  their  means  or 
their  inclination  permit  them  to  buy)  we  are  given  a  large 
measure  of  confidence,  first,  that  people  (many  of  whom  we 
never  see  and  who  are  not  experts)  can  start  with  our  writings 
and  our  breeding  stock  and  make  a  success;  second,  that 
all  we  have  advised  about  the  industry  is  of  general  and  con- 
vincing application;  and  third,  that  it  does  not  take  extraor- 
dinary skill  to  make  a  success  with  squabs. 

There  are  failures  with  squabs,  even  by  college  professors, 
because  some  beginners  are  unsuited  to  the  busines_s.  Many 
are  lured  into  it  by  get-rich-quick  stories.  It  would  amaze 
you  to  read  the  letters  that  some  beginners  write.  You  never 
can  tell  a  man's  pigeon  and  poultry  ability  by  his  orthography 
and  grammar.  Letters  in  crude  spelling  and  crooked  writing 
frequently  come  from  the  most  successful  squab  raisers.  The 
knack  of  caring  for  animals  successfully  cannot  be  acquired 
by  some.  Given  two  women,  with  cooking  materials  and  the 
same  cook  books,  one  cooks  splendidly,  and  the  other  mis- 
erably. Why?  Well,  it  is  the  same  with  pigeons.  Some 
can  and  some  can't.  However,  the  failures  at  squab  or 
poultry  raising  seldom  blame  themselves. 

There  are  many  of  the  naturally  careless,  improvident 
persons  who  have  turned  to  squabs  to  help  them  out  of  finan- 
cial holes,  and  they  have  made  a  failure  of  squab  raising. 
Many  of  us  remember  the  furore  over  raising  chicken  broilers 
for  market,  which  started  a  score  of  years  ago.  The  fact  that 


GETTING    AHEAD  95 

some  were  making  money  at  it  started  a  burning  hen  fever  in 
hundreds  of  young  and  old  people  anxious  to  make  a  lot  of 
money  quick.  Clerks  and  society  women  from  New  York 
moved  into  the  suburbs  on  small  farms  and  began  to  try  to 
make  realities  of  their  dreams.  Not  accustomed  to  manual 
labor,  they  made  a  sorry  mess  of  it.  Writers  of  that  period 
tell  of  chicken  gentlemen  and  ladies  who  wen't  about  their 
daily  round  of  duties  with  their  delicate  hands  carefully  pro- 
tected by  kid  gloves.  It  did  not  take  long  for  the  end  for  such 
experimenters  to  arrive.  They  returned  to  the  great  city 
sadder,  but  wiser.  The  squab  industry  has  suffered  also  the 
past  five  years  from  such  treatment.  Many  have  played 
with  it  as  a  child  would  with  a  new  toy,  giving  up  their 
pigeons  in  a  few  months  at  the  slightest  discouragement. 

The  past  six  years  are  strewn  with  the  wrecks  of  imitation 
squab  advertisers  and  their  guarantees.  Every  spring,  when 
demand  for  breeders  is  greatest,  some  of  these  come  to  life 
again,  or  new  ones  crop  up,  and  they  get  what  harvest  they 
can,  many  of  them  selling  what  they  can  pick  up  in  the  way 
of  culls,  such  as  we  ourselves  sell  to  Faneuil  Hall  marketmen 
to  be  killed.  These  advertisers  start  advertising  in  January 
and  by  June  they  have  quit. 

The  following,  from  the  pen  of  an  old  poultry  writer, 
appeared  in  a  farm  periodical  of  large  circulation  in  January, 
1907:  "  So  far,  every  attempt  made  in  this  country  to  estab- 
lish a  large  poultry  (chicken)  farm  has  been  met  by  failure. 
The  extensive  and  successful  plants  of  today  are  the  outcome 
of  a  small  beginning  and  a  gradual  growth.  True,  the  main 
cause  for  failure  has  been  the  lack  of  experience;  men  have 
undertaken  work  for  which  they  were  not  qualified." 

So  it  is  the  rule  with  squab  and  poultry  failures,  especially 
women,  to  blame  everybody  but  themselves.  Such  persons 
learn  bitterly  that  experience  is  indeed  a  factor. 

The  place  and  flock  of  the  one  who  fails  with  squabs  tell 
their  own  story.  The  drinking  fountains  are  seldom  washed, 
the  pen  is  seldom  cleaned  and  the  place  has  a  run-down  look 
generally,  sometimes  being  positively  filthy.  The  grain  is 
bought  and  fed  on  the  catch-as-catch-can  principle  with  no 
provision  for  variety.  The  cheapest  grain  is»bought,  or  it  is 
ignorantly  bought,  and  may  be  full  of  weevils,  or  sour.  The 
owner  of  such  a  place  generally  matches  the  place. 


96       NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Some  advertisers  selling  breeding  stock  try  to  give  the 
impression  in  their  advertising  that  they  control  the  matings 
and  love  affairs  of  the  pigeons  they  sell,  to  the  uttermost 
degree.  '  We  are  the  ones  who  can  start  you  right,"  they 
say,  "with  our  guaranteed  mated  pairs."  Their  pigeons,  how- 
ever, behave  just  the  same  as  all  pigeons.  You  have  just  as 
much  control  over  the  minds  of  your  pigeons  as  anybody. 
We  have  the  finest  equipment  for  mating  in  America,  as  it  is 
the  largest,  a  thousand  mating  coops  being  in  constant  use. 
One  of  the  buildings  is  heated  by  a  hot-water  plant  so  as  to 
get  quick  results  in  mating  in  the  winter.  It  is  natural  for 
pigeons  to  breed,  same  as  all  animals.  Do  not  believe  that 
the  man  who  offers  to  sell  you  pigeons  has  it  in  his  power  to 
control  them  after  they  have  left  his  hands.  The  control  of 
your  pigeons  is  in  your  hands  absolutely.  If  you  raise  an 
excess  of  cocks,  or  if  you  have  an  excess  of  either  sex,  for  any 
reason,  you  should  procure  enough  of  the  opposite  sex  to 
match  up  evenly.  You  should  have  some  mating  coops 
(ordinary  boxes  with  wire  fronts  will  do)  and  in  them  you 
should  pair  up  birds  to  suit  yourself  as  to  color  of  plumage,  or 
size,  or  special  characteristics,  as  you  raise  them. 

We  fill  all  orders,  large  or  small,  with  equal  care  and 
thoroughness,  for  it  is  just  as  much  to  our  interest  to  please 
the  customer  and  get  more  orders  in  the  one  case  as  in  the 
other. 

There  is  not  much  choice  as  to  what  time  of  year  a  start 
in  squab  breeding  should  be  made.  Our  customers  who 
start  in  the  winter  have  been  exceptionally  successful  because 
then  prices  for  squabs  are  at  the  top  notch,  and  it  takes  only 
a  few  sales  to  make  a  new  breeder  thoroughly  convinced  to 
go  ahead  to  success.  We  ship  breeders  all  the  year  round. 
A  pigeon  will  not  break  down  under  either  stifling  heat  or 
bitter  cold,  being  different  from  other  animals. 

We  fill  orders  in  rotation  and  treat  customers  alike,  and 
ship  promptly.  Frequently  we  get  orders  to  ship  by  first 
returning  express,  and  it  is  very  difficult  to  do  this.  One 
customer  in  Chicago  planned  to  start  for  Alaska  with  twelve 
pairs  of  our  birds,  but  he  held  back  his  letter  so  that  we  got 
it  with  only  two*hours  to  fill  crates  and  get  birds  to  him  before 
his  departure.  We  filled  his  order  as  a  matter  of  accommoda- 
tion. 


GETTING    AHEAD  97 

In  ordering  supplies  to  be  sent  by  freight,  remember  that 
it  takes  a  freight  shipment  some  time  to  get  to  destination, 
especially  when  traffic  is  congested  in  the  spring  or  in  the 
harvest  season.  Give  us  your  order  for  nest  bowls  and 
supplies  before  your  house  is  ready. 

The  live  breeders  are  shipped  by  us  either  in  specially  made 
pine  crates  or  wicker  coops.  The  wicker  coops  remain  our 
property  and  are  returned  to  us  at  our  expense  by  the  express 
companies  after  the  customer  has  released  the  pigeons.  These 
baskets  are  expensive  and  are  fitted  with  large  tin  feed  and 
water  dishes.  It  is  impossible  to  break  them  open  with  the 
roughest  handling.  The  birds  have  plenty  of  room  in  them 
and  arrive  at  their  destination  in  fine  condition. 

The  usual  fault  of  inexperienced  shippers  is  that  the  box 
or  crate  is  too  high,  and  too  large,  giving  an  opportunity  for 
one  bird  to  pass  another  by  flying  over  its  head.  If  there  is 
too  much  room  between  the  top  and  bottom  of  the  crate 
feathers  will  be  rumpled  and  pulled  out,  and  the  birds  by 
crowding  will  suffocate  one  or  two.  A  large,  heavy  crate 
also  adds  enormously  to  the  express  charges.  It  is  not 
pleasant  to  buy  pigeons  and  receive  them  in  a  cumbrous 
box  weighing  from  twenty-five  to  seventy-five  pounds,  on 
which  the  express  charges  are  more  than  double  what  they 
would  be  were  the  birds  crated  properly. 

If  the  birds  are  going  to  a  point  only  a  day  or  a  day  and  a 
night  distant,  they  need  no  feed  nor  water.  For  a  long 
journey,  a  bag  of  grain  should  be  tied  to  the  crate.  It  is  the 
duty  of  the  express  messengers  to  feed  and  water  the  birds  en 
route,  and  they  are  so  instructed  by  their  companies. 

Do  you  know  that  pigeons  are  transported  by  the  express 
companies  at  the  rate  charged  for  ordinary  merchandise  under 
the  classification  in  force  for  1907  on?  The  rate  is  found  in 
every  express  book  (ask  your  agent  to  show  it  to  you  if  there 
is  any  dispute  over  charges)  now  as  follows:  "  Pigeons, 
homing,  merchandise  rate."  Tell  the  agent  to  look  in  the  P's 
for  Pigeons  and  he  will  find  it  there. 

For  carrying  most  live-stock  short  distances,  the  animal 
rate  (which  is  double  the  merchandise  rate)  is  charged.  This 
is  a  peculiar  rule  when  it  was  formerly  applied  to  pigeons,  and 
it  worked  so  that  the  buyer  at  a  remote  point  got  his  ship- 
ment cheaper  than  the  buyer  nearer  us.  For  instance,  we 


HOW  WE  SHIP  PIGEONS. 

Care  and  skill  exercised  in  shipping  live  pigeons  are  large  factors  in  satisfying 
customers.  It  is  not  a  pleasant  experience  to  send  money  away  for  pigeons  and 
have  them  reach  you  in  a  home-made  box,  generally  of  enormous  weight,  and  bearing 
enormous  express  charges. 

We  originated  the  above  style  of  shipping  and  have  two  thousand  shipping 
baskets  in  use.  They  are  expensive  but  by  their  use  we  are  able  to  guarantee  safe 
arrival.  The  customer  receives  his  shipment  in  faultless  condition. 

The  small  bag  of  grain  on  top  of  the  basket,  tied  to  it,  is  for  the  use  of  the  express- 
man in  feeding  the  birds  en  route.  The  tin  water  dish  is  at  the  end  of  the  basket, 
outside,  where  it  ought  to  be,  not  inside. 

These  shipping  baskets  remain  our  property  and  are  returned  to  us  empty  at  our 
expense  after  the  customer  has  released  his  birds. 


98 


GETTING    AHEAD  99 

could  ship  a  crate  of  pigeons  to  Chicago  from  Boston  cheaper 
than  we  could  to  Buffalo.  All  the  express  companies  doing 
business  in  the  United  States  and  Canada  have  the  same  rule, 
which  is,  that  between  poi»ts  where  the  single  or  merchandise 
rate  is  two  dollars  or  more  per  hundred  pounds,  live  animals, 
boxed,  crated  or  caged,  are  charged  for  transportation  at  the 
single  or  merchandise  rate.  Between  points  where  the  single 
or  merchandise  rate  is  less  than  two  dollars  per  hundred 
pounds,  live  animals  are  charged  the  animal  rate  (which  is 
double  the  merchandise  rate).  Poultry  (not  pigeons)  are 
charged  the  one  and  one-half  rate  when  the  rate  per  one  hun- 
dred pounds  is  less  than  two  dollars. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  lowest  rate  of  transportation,  the 
value  of  each  pigeon  must  be  stated  by  the  shipper  at  five 
dollars  or  less. 

We  have  seen  breeders  who  have  been  shipping  live-stock 
for  years  and  they  never  heard  of  the  above  rule  of  the 
express  companies,  and  also  we  have  seen  scores  of  express 
agents  who  did  not  know  of  their  own  rule,  but  always  charged 
the  animal  rate  on  animal  shipments.  But  the  rule  is  found 
in  every  graduated  charge  book  of  every  express  company 
and  the  experienced  expressmen  and  experienced  shippers 
know  all  about  it.  If  the  agent  in  your  town  is  ignorant  of 
the  rule,  ask  him  for  his  graduated  charge  book.  Many 
express  agents  at  local  points  seldom  handle  a  pigeon  ship- 
ment and  do  not  know  how  to  charge  for  it. 

A  live  animal  contract  release,  to  be  signed  both  by  shipper 
and  express  agent,  is  needed  in  all  cases  where  the  value  of 
each  pigeon  is  more  than  five  dollars.  If  pigeons  which  we 
ship  are  killed  in  a  smash-up,  we  can  recover  from  the  com- 
pany. We  have  no  hesitation,  therefore,  in  guaranteeing  the 
safe  delivery  of  our  pigeons  to  customers.  Our  respon- 
sibility does  not  end  when  we  have  given  them  to  the  express- 
man. Our  guarantee  follows  them  as  long  as  they  are  in  the 
hands  of  the  express  company.  We  will  put  them  into  your 
hands  safe  and  sound. 

Once  in  a  while  you  will  read  of  live-stock  and  breeding 
associations  getting  together  and  complaining  about  the 
"  exorbitant  rates  "  charged  by  the  express  companies.  The 
trouble  is  not  with  the  rates  of  the  express  companies,  but  lies 
wholly  in  the  ignorance  of  the  breeders  who  meet  to  complain. 


100     NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

They  simply  do  not  know  how  to  ship  and  how  to  talk  to  the 
express  agents. 

We  never  read  the  above  advice  as  to  shipping  live-stock  in 
any  book  or  paper.  It  is -the  product  of  our  own  experience 
and  the  information  cost  us  at  least  one  hundred  dollars  in 
excess  charges  before  we  learned  how  to  get  the  low  rate. 
It  is  worth  dollars  to  our  customers,  and  that  is  why  we  have 
given  it  here  in  detail. 

Killed  squabs  go  to  market  at  the  rate  charged  for  ordinary 
merchandise,  no  matter  what  the  distance.  Breeders  having 
special  customers  who  wish  the  squabs  plucked  should  pack 
them  in  a  clean  white  wood  box  (with  ice  in  the  summer)  and 
nail  the  box  up  tight.  Such  shipments  go  through  in  splendid 
condition  and  if  the  breeder  has  a  choice  article,  with  his 
trade  mark  stamped  on  the  box,  he  gets  the  fancy  price. 
Squabs  which  reach  the  Boston  market  from  jobbers  in 
Philadelphia  and  New  York  are  plucked  and  packed  with  ice 
in  barrels.  Breeders  around  Boston  who  reach  the  Boston 
market  with  undressed  squabs  send  them  in  wicker  hampers 
or  baskets  on  the  morning  of  the  day  after  they  are  killed.  . 

No  express  agent  anywhere  has  a  right  to  make  any  extra 
charges  whatever  on  our  pigeon  shipments. 

There  is  no  duty  on  our  pigeons  to  Canada,  Cuba  or  Porto 
Rico,  when  we  send  with  the  pigeons  and  also  to  the  customer, 
as  we  do,  a  certificate  of  purity  of  breed,  declaring  that  the 
pigeons  are  for  breeding,  and  not  to  be  killed  for  market. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS. 

Women  and  Squab  Breeding  —  Attentions  of  the  Male  to  the 
Female  Pigeon  —  Equal  Number  of  Males  and  Females 
-  Birds  Flying  Wild  —  Sale  of  Birds  for  Flyers  - 
Variation  in  Size  of  Nest  Boxes  —  How  Squabs  are 
Artificially  Fattened  —  Shipping  to  England  —  Training 
Flyers  —  A  Remarkable  Service  for  Messages  between 
Islands. 

Question.  I  am  a  woman  who  knows  absolutely  nothing 
of  squab  raising.  Do  you  think  I  can  make  a  success  of  it? 
Answer.  Our  books  are  written  and  printed  for  the  purpose 
of  telling  an  absolutely  ignorant  person  just  how  to  proceed. 
If  you  will  study  this  Manual,  until  you  get  the  general  plan 
and  method  of  procedure  in  your  mind,  there  is  no  reason 
why  you  cannot  make  a  success  of  it.  A  woman  is  quick 
enough  to  puzzle  out  a  new  pattern  of  embroidery  or  a  blind 
cooking  recipe  the  terms  of  which  are  expressed  in  language 
utterly  incomprehensible  to  a  man.  We  find  that  our  women 
customers  are  just  as  quick  to  comprehend  pigeons  as  soon  as 
they  get  started.  It  is  necessary  to  have  confidence,  first, 
that  the  birds  can  make  money,  and  second,  that  you  are  able 
to  handle  them  right.  Women  succeed  with  hens  quite  as 
well  as  men.  They  "  take  "  to  animals  fully  as  well  as  men. 
The  fact  that  you,  our  customer,  are  a  woman,  ought  to 
encourage  rather  than  depress  you,  in  the  squab  business. 

Question.  I  have  an  old  poultry  house  fifteen  by  twenty 
feet  in  size,  ten  feet  high.  How  many  pairs  of  pigeons  can  I 
accommodate?  Answer.  We  have  this  question  asked  us 
many  times,  and  our  reply  to  all  is  the  same.  Sometimes  the 
customer  varies  it  by  asking,  How  large  a  house  do  I  need  to 
accommodate  one  hundred  pairs  of '  breeders  ?  Sometimes 
they  say  they  propose  remodeling  a  barn  loft  which  is  thirty 
by  twenty  feet  in  size.  The  dimensions  of  the  building  vary 
with  the  customer.  You  can  always  accommodate  in  theory 
as  many  pairs  of  breeders  as  you  can  make  room  for  pairs  of 
nest  boxes.  Fix  up  your  building  to  suit  yourself,  and  put  in 

101 


102     NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

as  many  nest  boxes  as  you  wish,  Then  count  your  nest 
boxes  and  you  will  know  how  many  birds  you  can  accommo- 
date. You  must  have  two  nest  boxes  for  every  pair  of  birds. 
Always  allow  more  nest  boxes  than  there  are  pigeons,  and  do 
not  crowd  the  birds,  as  we  have  explained  on  page  29. 

Question.  How  does  the  male  bird  impregnate  the  female 
bird?  They  do  not  seem  to  me  to  act  as  roosters  and  hens  do. 
Answer.  The  human  eye  is  not  sharp  and  quick  enough  to 
follow  the  actions  of  the  male  bird.  He  mounts  the  female 
in  a  manner  which  is  called  "  treading."  A  female  occasion- 
ally will  "  tread  "  the  male  bird,  exactly  as  a  female  animal 
when  in  excessive  heat  sometimes  will  mount  the  male,  or 
another  female.  Customers  who  had  what  they  thought  was 
a  doubtful  pair  sometimes  have  written  us  saying  that  each 
would  tread  the  other,  and  that  of  course  both  were  males. 
After  a  while  the  same  customer  would  write  and  say  that  the 
pair  fooled  him  and  that  he  had  two  eggs  from  them.  The 
actions  are  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  of  course,  a  positive  guide, 
but  there  are  exceptions  to  every  rule. 

Question.  (1)  The  legs  of  the  pigeon  you  sent  me  are 
red;  are  they  inflamed?  (2)  The  droppings  are  soft  and 
mushy;  I  am  afraid  they  have  diarrhoea.  What  shall  I  do? 
(3)  Most  of  my  pigeons  have  a  warty-like  substance  on  their 
bills,  varying  in  size  with  the  pigeon;  how  shall  I  get  rid  of  it? 
Answer.  (1)  The  red  color  which  you  see  is  perfectly  natural. 
The  legs  of  all  Homer  pigeons  are  red.  (2)  The  natural 
droppings  of  the  pigeon  are  soft  and  somewhat  loose.  When 
they  have  diarrhoea  the  droppings  are  extremely  watery  and 
the  tail  feathers  are  soiled.  Your  pigeons  are  all  right  and 
have  no  diarrhosa.  (3)  The  growth  of  which  you  speak  is 
perfectly  natural.  It  varies  in  size  with  the  pigeon,  sometimes 
covering  the  base  of  the  bill,  in  other  cases  clinging  closely  to  it. 

Question.  Can  I  figure  with  certainty  that  of  each  pair 
of  squabs  which  my  birds  hatch,  one  is  a  male  and  the  other 
a  female?  Answer.  Not  with  absolute  certainty,  but  as  a 
rule.  It  is  Nature's  way  to  provide  for  an  equal  number  of 
males  and  females,  for  that  is  the  way  the  species  mates  and 
is  reproduced. 

Question.  Enclosed  find  ten  dollars,  for  which  please  send 
me^settings  of  pigeon  eggs  to  that  value,  and  send  me  the 
balance  due,  if  any.  Answer.  We  do  not  sell  pigeon  eggs. 


.  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  103 

It  is  impossible  to  use  an  incubator  and  raise  pigeons  success- 
fully, because  there  is  no  way  of  feeding  the  young  squabs 
when  they  are  hatched.  The  life  of  squabs  is  nourished  and 
prolonged  from  day  to  day  by  the  parent  birds,  which  feed 
them.  To  raise  squabs,  you  must  start  by  buying  the  adult 
breeders.  You  cannot  start  with  the  eggs. 

Question.  It  seems  to  me  that  if  each  pair  of  squabs 
hatched  consists  of  male  and  female,  that  this  couple  is  likely 
to  pair  when  grown,  being  well  acquainted  with  each  other. 
This  would  be  inbreeding  and  would  weaken  my  flock.  What 
shall  I  do?  Answer.  It  is  not  the  plan  of  the  species  to  mate 
and  inbreed  like  this.  If  brother  and  sister  mated  as  you 
describe,  the  species  would  be  extinct  after  a  while.  They 
will  look  for  new  mates  as  soon  as  they  get  out  of  the  nest  and 
are  of  breeding  age. 

Question.  When  are  the  young  pigeons  old  enough  to 
mate?  Answer.  At  from  four  to  six  months. 

Question.  My  birds  do  not  know  enough  to  go  in  from  the 
roof  of  the  squab  house  when  it  rains.  How  shall  I  get  them 
in?  Answer.  Let  them  stay  on  the  roof  in  the  rain  if  they 
wish.  The  rain  will  do  them  no  harm.  » 

Question.  Must  I  heat  the  squab  house  in  the  winter  time? 
Answer.  No.  The  heat  from  a  flock  of  pigeons  in  a  well- 
built  house  is  considerable.  You  will  get  more  squabs  from 
your  pigeons  in  the  winter  time  if  you  do  heat  your  house 
slightly,  not  enough  to  cause  much  expense,  but  just  enough 
to  take  the  chill  off.  Do  not  let  your  birds  out  of  the  squab 
house  on  bitter  cold  days. 

Question.  I  live  in  Texas  and  I  think  in  this  climate  your 
squab  house  would  be  too  warm  and  stuffy.  Answer.  You 
are  right.  Adapt  the  construction  to  your  locality.  The 
poultry  houses  in  Texas  as  compared  to  those  in  the  North 
are  much  less  expensive  and  more  open  to  the  air,  and  your 
squab  house  should  be  built  on  the  same  principle. 

Question.  Suppose  I  cool  the  squabs  as  you  direct  and 
pack  them  into  a  box  for  shipment,  shall  I  use  ice?  Is  there 
any  danger  that  the  meat  will  be  discolored  when  they  arrive 
at  market?  Answer.  Ice  is  not  necessary  in  the  fall,  winter 
and  spring.  In  the  summer  time  you  should  use  ice,  although 
if  the  shipment  is  for  a  short  distance,  ice  may  not  be  necessary. 
In  hot  weather  the  squabs  should  not  be  killed  until  the  night 


104     NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

before  shipping.  In  the  cool  months  you  may  keep  them 
at  home  longer.  If  the  squabs  are  cooled  by  hanging  them 
from  studding  as  we  describe,  there  is  no  danger  that  the 
meat  will  be  discolored.  The  object  of  hanging  them  from 
studding  is  to  cool  the  carcasses  properly  so  that  the  meat 
will  not  be  discolored  by  contact. 

Question.  How  shall  I  pack  the  killed  squabs  when  I  send 
them  to  market?  Answer.  Lay  them  in  the  box  layer  on 
layer,  in  an  orderly  fashion.  Do.  not  throw  them  in  helter 
skelter. 

Question.  Can  I  hang  the  squabs  to  cool  from  studding 
suspended  in  the  barn,  in  the  summer  time?  Answer.  It  is 
better  to  use  the  cellar  of  the  house,  or  the  coolest  room  in  the 
house. 

Question.  I  do  not  like  your  idea  of  keeping  the  birds 
wired  in.  They  are  free  by  nature  and  it  strikes  me  that  they 
should  have  a  chance  to  get  exercise  by  long  flights.  Answer. 
You  must  keep  them  wired  in,  or  they  may  leave  you.  Re- 
member that  the  Homer  is  attached  to  the  place  where  it  is 
bred,  that  is  the  Homer  instinct.  If  you  buy  birds  of  us  and 
on  opening  the  crate  let  them  fly  anywhere  they  choose, 
trusting  to  luck  to  have  them  come  back  to  you,  you  may  be 
disappointed  and  lose  some  of  the  birds.  You  must  keep 
them  wired  in  all  the  time. 

Question.  You  say  your  Homers  are  fine  flyers.  What  is 
the  use  of  my  buying  them  of  you  to  fly  in  races  or  to  sell 
again  as  flyers,  if  they  may  desert  me  when  I  let  them  out 
into  the  open  air?  Answer.  The  squabs  which  you  breed 
from  our  birds  will  know  no  home  but  yours,  and  they  will 
not  fly  away  from  you.  You  can  send  them  away,  when  they 
are  old  enough,  and  time  their  flight  back  to  your  house, 
their  home.  When  you  sell  these  trained  flyers  to  others, 
you  do  not  expect  that  they  will  try  to  fly  them,  but  that  they 
will  use  them  for  breeders. 

Question.  How  large  are  the  mating  coops?  Answer. 
A  convenient  size  is  two  feet  long,  two  feet  wide  and  two  feet 
high. 

Question.  My  birds  seem  timid  and  I  am  afraid  to  catch 
them.  How  shall  I  go  about  it?  Answer.  Do  not  be  afraid 
of  hurting  them.  Take  a  broom  and  drive  one  where  you 
will,  finally  pinning  it  against  the  side  of  the  squab  house,  or 


.  QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  105 

in  a  corner.  Grasp  it  and  hold  its  wings  firmly  and  it  will  not 
struggle.  Or  you  may  make  a  net  on  the  end  of  a  pole,  like 
an  ordinary  fish  landing  net,  and  scoop  the  bird  into  it  as  it 
flies  through  the  air. 

Question.  Suppose  I  have  several  squab  houses,  as  you 
describe,  but  let  all  the  birds  together  in  one  large  flying 
pen,  where  they  can  bathe  from  one  large  fountain.  Answer. 
This  is  all  right  if  you  do  not  wish  to  keep  close  track  of  your 
birds.  If  the  birds  can  roam  from  one  house  to  another, 
there  is  nothing  to  prevent  a  pair  from  building  one  nest  on 
one  house  and  then  going  to  another  house  to  build  the  second 
nest. 

Question.  I  believe  I  will  put  a  strip  of  wire  or  piece  of 
wood  across  the  front  of  each  nest  box  so  as  to  keep  each 
pair  more  secluded,  and  to  keep  the  nests  from  dropping  out. 
Answer.  Don't  do  it.  Don't  worry  about  the  nests  falling 
out.  Build  the  pigeon-holes  perfectly  plain. 

Question.  How  many  squabs  shall  I  pack  in  one  box  when 
sending  to  market?  Answer.  Having  picked  out  the  size 
of  the  box  you  wish,  fill  it  up  close  with  squabs,  so  they  will 
not  "  shuck."  As  to  the  size  of  the  box,  make  it  as  big  or 
little  as  you  please,  but  do  not  make  it  any  bigger  than  one 
expressman  can  handle  easily.  A  good  size  is  two  feet  square 
and  one  foot  deep. 

Question.  Send  me  two  males  and  ten  females.  Answer. 
You  must  buy  your  birds  in  pairs.  They  pair  off  in  this  way, 
namely,  one  male  to  one  female.  One  male  does  not  have 
two  or  three  females.  We  have  heard  pigeon  breeders  talk 
of  having  one  cock  which  would  attend  two  hens,. but  never 
had  a  case  in  our  experience. 

Question.  After  plucking  the  squab,  and  before  sending 
it  to  market,  do  you  remove  the  entrails?  Answer.  No. 

Question.  In  order  to  avoid  the  trouble  of  using  the 
mating  coop,  may  I  put  an  equal  number  of  cocks  and  hens 
in  the  same  pen?  Answer.  Yes. 

Question.  Can  I  discover  the  male  and  female  organs  by 
examination  of  the  birds  with  a  magnifying  glass?  Answer. 
No.  You  can  discover  them  by  dissecting  the  dead  bird. 

Question.  Suppose  I  build  the  nest  boxes  larger,  so  as  to 
give  a  shelf  on  which  the  birds  can  alight?  Answer.  Don't 
do  it.  The  bird  will  fly  directly  into  the  nest,  or  onto  the  nest 


106     NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

box  in  front  of  the  nest.     You  do  not  need  an  alighting  place. 

Question.  Seems  to  me  that  if  I  start  with  forty -eight 
pairs  of  birds,  I  ought  to  have  ninety-six  perches.  Answer. 
The  birds  do  not  all  perch  at  the  same  time.  While  some 
are  perching,  others  are  on  the  nests,  or  walking  on  the  floor, 
or  are  outside  in  the  flying  pen,  or  on  the  roof.  Put  up  a  few 
perches  where  you  have  room  and  let  it  go  at  that. 

Question.  I  live  in  England;  can  you  ship  me  twenty-four 
pairs  of  your  breeders?  Answer.  Yes;  the  transportation 
charges  will  be  four  dollars.  In  addition  you  will  have  to  pay 
the  butcher  or  steward  of  the  boat  ten  shillings  for  feeding 
and  watering  the  birds.  Send  us  six  dollars  and  fifty  cents 
in  addition  to  the  regular  price  of  the  birds  and  we  will  ship 
to  you  all  charges  prepaid.  In  shipping  to  Cuba  and  remote 
points  in  the  United  States  and  Canada,  we  do  not  have  to 
pay  anything  extra  for  the  feeding  and  watering  of  the  birds; 
the  express  charges  include  the  feeding  and  watering. 

Question.  What  is  a  Runt  pigeon?  Please  quote  prices 
on  a  dozen  pairs  of  Runts.  Answer.  A  Runt  pigeon  is  a 
special  breed  of  pigeon,  remarkable  for  its  large  size.  They 
come  all  colors,  as  a  Homer  does.  The  white  Runts  are  an 
exceptionally  beautiful  bird  and  command  large  prices,  as 
high  as  six  dollars  to  fifteen  dollars  a  pair.  The  squabs  which 
Runts  breed  weigh  from  eighteen  ounces  to  one  and  one-half 
pounds  at  four  weeks.  If  Runts  bred  as  fast  as  Homers,  they 
would  be  just  the  bird  for  squab  breeders,  but  they  are 
fatally  slow  in  breeding,  as  a  rule.  The  Homers  raise  two 
pairs  of  squabs  to  the  Runts'  one.  Therefore  it^is  of  course 
more  profitable  to  raise  Homers.  We  do  not  sell  Runts  and 
do  not  advocate  their  use  either  as  a  separate  breed,  or 
crossed  up  with  Homers.  The  large,  plump,  thoroughbred 
Homer  is  the  best. 

Question.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  Homer  and 
Antwerp  breeds  of  pigeons?  Answer.  No  difference.  The 
name  is  used  interchangeably  to  apply  to  the  same  breed  of 
pigeon.  In  New  England  we  speak  of  them  mostly  as 
Homers.  In  some  places  they  are  called  more  often  Antwerps. 

Question.  Can  I  feed  some  of  my  squabs  by  hand  if  nec- 
essary? Answer.  Yes.  Mix  up  a  mushy,  soft  handful  of 
grain,  hold  the  squab  in  the  left  hand,  close  to  your  body,  and 
with  the  thumb  and  first  finger  of  your  right  hand  force  the 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  107 

mixture  into  the  bill.  The  squab  will  swallow  and  fill  its 
crop.  A  backward  squab  may  be  forced  in  this  manner. 

Question.  Can  you  sell  me  twelve  pairs  of  young  Homers, 
about  eight  weeks  old?  Answer.  No.  It  is  impossible  to 
tell  the  sex  of  pigeons  of  that  age.  Any  breeder  who  under- 
takes to  furnish  squabs  several  weeks  old  in  equal  males  and 
females  cannot  do  so  and  is  imposing  on  you. 

Question.  Please  give  recipes  for  cooking  squabs.  An- 
swer. See  the  cook  books.  Squabs  are  generally  served 
broiled.  They  should  be  drawn,  singed  and  washed.  Cut 
off  the  heads,  split  into  two  parts,  season,  put  on  a  lump  of 
butter  and  broil  over  a  hot  fire.  Place  close  to  the  fire  at 
first  so  as  to  brown  the  outside  and  retain  the  juices,  then 
hold  further  away  from  the  fire  to  complete  the  cooking.  Jf 
roasted,  leave  them  in  a  hot  oven  for  thirty  minutes.  For 
roasting,  squabs  may  be  stuffed  with  cranberries  or  currants. 
Baste  every  ten  minutes  with  spoonfuls  of  hot  water  and 
butter. 

Question.  How  shall  I  train  the  young  birds  raised  from 
your  Homers  to  fly?  Answer.  There  is  a  large  business  in 
flying  Homers  and  if  you  have  a  pen  or  two  of  trained  birds 
you  can  sell  them  at  fancy  prices.  There  are  homing  clubs 
all  over  the  country  which  have  contests  and  it  is  worth  while 
for  a  breeder  to  work  for  a  reputation  of  breeding  and  selling 
fast  flyers.  The  young  Homers  when  five  months  old  are 
strong  enough  to  be  trained  to  fly.  Take  them  in  a  basket 
(having  omitted  to  feed  them)  a  mile  or  two  away,  and 
liberate  them  one  by  one.  They  will  circle  in  the  air,  then 
choose  the  correct  course.  You  should  have  left  grain  for 
them  as  a  reward  for  their  safe  arrival  home,  and  an  induce- 
ment for  their  next  experience  in  flying.  Two  or  three  days 
later  take  or  send  them  away  five  miles  and  repeat.  Next 
try  ten  miles,  and  so  work  on  by  easy  stages  up  to  seventy- 
five  or  one  hundred  miles.  If  you  have  a  friend  in  another 
city,  you  may  send  your  birds  in  a  basket  to  him  with  instruc- 
tions to  liberate  certain  ones  at  certain  hours,  or  you  may 
send  the  basket  by  train  to  any  express  agent,  along  with  a 
letter  telling  him  to  liberate  the  birds  at  a  certain  hour  and 
send  the  basket  back  to  you.  If  you  wish  to  have  the  birds 
carry  a  message,  write  it  on  a  piece  of  cigarette  paper  (or  any 
strong  tissue),  wrap  the  paper  around  the  leg  of  the  bird  and 


SELF-FEEDER   FOR  GRAIN. 

This  trough  gives  excellent  satisfaction  with  us.  We  do  not  sell  it,  but  will 
tell  you  how  to  have  it  made.  It  is  four  feet  long.  At  the  bottom  of  this  page 
you  will  see  a  sectional  view  of  it.  The  grain  is  put  into  the  hopper,  H.  It  drops 
in  the  direction  indicated  by  the  arrows  into  the  spaces,  AA,  where  it  is  eaten  by 
the  birds.  As  fast  as  they  eat,  more  drops  down.  The  strip  through  which  they 
stick  their  heads  is  three  inches  wide  and  the  slots  are  cut  one  and  one-half  inches 
wide.  The  V  at  the  bottom  of  the  trough  is  made  from  a  solid  piece  of  four  by  four. 
It  is  solid  so  that  rats  cannot  get  inside  of  it  and  hide  and  pilfer  the  grain.  The 
inch-square  pieces  at  the  front  of  the  bottom  prevent  the  birds  from  pecking  the 
grain  out  upon  the  floor.  One-inch  lumber  is  used  in  the  construction  for  every 
part  except  the  slot-boards,  BB,  which  are  three-eighths  inch  thick.  The  top  and 
bottom  are  of  twelve-inch  boards,  the  sides  of  ten-inch  boards.  The  top  is  held  in 
place  by  a  hook  and  eye  at  each  end  as  pictured.  The  trough  will  hold  from  three 
days'  to  two  weeks'  supply  of  grain,  depending  on  the  size  of  the  flock. .  Put  the 
trough  not  in  the  flying  pen,  but  inside  the  squab  house.  Or,  you  may  build  a 
half-trough  (slot-board  down  one  side  only)  and  set  it  in  the  passageway,  and  it 
will  fill  the  space  between  the  lower  tier  of  nest  boxes  and  the  floor.  Here  it  may 
be  filled  from  the  passageway,  and  you  will  not  have  to  enter  the  unit  pen.  We 
have  tried  all  kinds  of  self-feeders  and  recommend  this  pattern  as  the  best  of  all. 
If  you  adopt  it  in  connection  with  the  dowel  system  (illustrated  on  previous  page) 
your  dowels  will  be  used  only  behind  the  drinker,  this  trough  taking  up  four  feet  of 
the  rest  of  the  space.  Make  it  either  longer  or  shorter  than  four  feet,  to  suit  the  size 
of  your  flock,  if  you  wish. 


Q  UESTIONS  AND  A NSWERS  109 

tie  with  thread,  or  fasten  with  glue  or  a  stamp;  or,  you  may 
tie  the  tissue  around  one  of  the  tail  feathers.  A  thin  alu- 
minum tube  containing  the  message  may  be  fastened  to  a 
leg,  or  to  a  tail  feather.  A  trap  window  should  be  constructed 
to  time  the  arrival  home  of  birds.  This  is  an  aperture  about 
six  inches  square  closed  by  wires  hanging  from  a  piece  of  wood 
at  the  top  of  the  aperture  and  swinging  inward,  but  held  close 
to  the  aperture  by  its  own  weight.  The  pigeon  cannot  fly 
out  but  on  its  return  home  (if  you  have  sprinkled  grain  on  the 
inside  of  the  house,  next  the  wires)  the  bird  will  push  the  wire 
door  and  go  in.  It  takes  only  a  day  or  two  for  the  pigeon  to 
become  accustomed  to  the  trap.  If  you  connect  the  trap 
with  a  simple  make-and-break  electric  circuit,  the  pigeon  on 
its  arrival  home  from  its  flight  will  ring  a  bell  in  any  part  of 
your  house  or  barn.  When  you  have  a  record  of  the  flyers, 
you  will  have  a  guide  for  mating.  The  majority  of  fanciers 
recommend  a  medium-sized  Homer.  A  large  hen  should  be 
mated  to  a  small  cock,  or  a  large  cock  to  a  small  hen.  What 
is  perhaps  the  best  pigeon  service  in  the  world  has  been  in  use 
for  several  years  between  Newton  Roads,  Auckland,  New 
Zealand,  and  the  Great  Barrier  and  Maro  Tiro  Islands,  some 
seventy-five  miles  distant.  A  boy  of  sixteen  years  worked 
up  the  service  and  makes  a  large  income  from  it.  About 
twenty  messages  an  hour  are  carried  back  and  forth  by  the 
Homers.  A  year  ago  the  government  declared  its  intention 
of  laying  a  cable  from  Auckland  to  Great  Barrier.  The 
project  was  abandoned,  however,  as  the  residents  of  the  little 
island  decided  that  they  were  well  pleased  with  the  pigeons, 
and  that  a  cable  would  not  be  patronized.  The  government 
offered  to  buy  the  whole  pigeon  outfit  from  the  boy  owner, 
but  he  refused.  There  are  from  four  hundred  to  five  hundred 
pairs  of  pigeons  in  the  service. 

Question.  In  the  case  of  young  birds  mated  up  for  the 
first  time  at  five  or  six  months  of  age,  is  it  best  to  destroy  the 
first  eggs,  or  let  them  go  ahead  and  hatch  in  the  regular  way? 
Answer.  Let  them  go  ahead  and  hatch  and  learn  to  feed  their 
young.  It  will  improve  them  for  the  next  hatch. 

Question.  Please  describe  the  self-feeder  more  fully  and 
explain  its  operation.  Answer.  The  hopper  of  the  feeder 
is  V-shaped  so  that  the  grain  will  fall  by  its  own  weight  to  the 
centre  at  the  bottom,  which  is  cut  away  as  shown  in  the 


110     NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

illustration  so  that  as  the  birds  peck  up  the  grain,  more  falls 
from  the  hopper.  The  slit  where  the  birds  eat  should  be 
about  an  inch  and  a  half  in  width,  just  enough  to  prevent  the 
grain  from  running  out  faster  than  it  is  eaten.  If  the  grain  is 
pulled  out  on  the  floor,  tack  a  strip  of  wood,  like  a  lath,  so  as 
partly  to  block  the  holes. 

Question.  Should  I  cover  the  yard  of  the  flying  pen  with 
your  grit?  Answer.  No.  Provide  a  box  and  keep  our  grit  in 
the  box.  When  the  pigeons  want  grit,  they  will  go  to  the 
box  and  get  it. 

Question.  Are  the  carrier  (flying)  pigeons  the  same  breed 
as  your  Homers?  Answer.  Yes.  A  flying  or  carrier  Homer 
is  a  Homer  that  has  been  trained  to  fly  a  long  distance. 

Question.  What  are  artificially  fattened  squabs?  An- 
swer. An  artificially  fattened  squab  is  a  squab  which  has 
been  stuffed  by  hand.  Take  a  syringe  and  fill  it  with  fattening 
mixture  of  gruel-like  consistency,  open  the  mouth  of  the  squab 
and  force  the  contents  of  the  syringe  into  the  crop  of  the  squab. 
Very  few  breeders  take  this  trouble  to  bring  their  squabs  to  an 
extraordinary  size. 

Question.  I  wish  you  had  shipped  my  breeders  in  one 
large  crate,  then  the  express  charges  .would  not  have  been  so 
much  as  for  the  two  crates  which  you  used.  Answer.  You 
are  mistaken.  An  express  shipment  goes  by  weight  and  not 
by  number  of  packages.  The  express  clerks  put  all  the  crates 
going  to  one  customer  on  the  scales  together  and  weigh  them 
all  at  once  and  on  the  total  weight  the  charge  is  based.  They 
prefer  to  handle  a  large  shipment  in  small  packages,  rather 
than  in  one  large  package. 

Question.  Can  I  use  the  upper  part  of  my  henhouse  for 
pigeons,  and  if  so  will  the  pigeons  interfere  in  the  flying  pen 
with  the  hens?  Answer.  You  may  use  the  upper  part  of 
your  henhouse  and  the  pigeons  will  not  be  harmed  by  the 
hens,  nor  the  hens  by  the  pigeons.  It  is  best  to  build  the 
flying  pen  in  two  stories  so  that  the  pigeons  cannot  fly  into 
the  henhouse  to  try  to  nest. 

Question.  To  save  room,  I  would  like  to  build  my  pigeon 
house  in  two  stories.  Answer.  That  is  all  right.  Build  the 
top  flying  pen  out  over  and  extending  beyond  the  bottom 
flying  pen  if  you  wish  to  separate  the  flocks  on  the  ground 
floor  from  the  flocks  upstairs. 


QUESTIONS  AND  ANSWERS  111 

Question.  What  are  the  bands  for  pigeons'  legs  and  how 
are  they  applied?  Answer.  The  seamless  band  is  a  ring  of 
aluminum  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter  and  from 
three-sixteenths  to  one-quarter  of  an  inch  in  width.  You 
cannot  apply  it  to  an  old  pigeon.  It  is  put  on  either  leg  of  a 
squab  when  the  squab  is  four  or  five  days  old,  by  squeezing 
the  toes  of  the  squab  through  the  band.  As  the  leg  of  the 
squab  grows,  it  becomes  impossible  to  remove  the  band 
except  by  cutting  it  off  On  the  band,  before  putting  it  on 
the  leg  of  the  squab,  you  may  stamp  year  of  birth  and  your 
initials,  or  anything  you  choose.  We  sell  an  outfit  consisting 
of  aluminum  tubing,  dies,  etc.,  by  which  the  squab  breeder 
may  make  his  own  bands  at  a  cost  of  two  or  three  for  a  cent. 

Question.  Since  I  bought  twelve  pairs  of  you,  I  have  kept 
a  careful  account  of  the  feed,  and  find  as  you  state  that  five 
cents  a  month  for  a  pair  of  breeders  is  right.  Grain  has  been 
much  higher  than  usual  this  summer  and  it  strikes  me  that 
under  normal  conditions  of  the  grain  market  the  cost  of  a 
pair  of  squab  breeders  would  be  less  than  five  cents  a  month, 
or  sixty  cents  a  year.  Answer.  Our  figures  of  cost  were 
ascertained  not  by  "  skimping  "  the  birds,  but  feeding  them 
liberally,  and  an  estimate  of  five  cents  a  month  for  a  pair  is 
based  on  a  low  cost  of  grain,  and  on  selling  the  manure. 

Question.  What  pattern  of  trowel  do  you  recommend  for 
cleaning  the  nest  bowls  and  nest  boxes?  Answer.  The 
common  trowel  such  as  bricklayers  use  is  too  pointed.  The 
best  pattern  has  a  square  point  and  a  stout  blade  with  strong 
handle.  With  such  a  trowel  you  can  clean  out  the  nest 
bowls  and  nest  boxes  very  effectively. 

Question.  Can  pigeons  be  raised  on  the  sea-coast  as  well 
as  inland?  Answer.  Yes;  the  Homer  pigeon  is  descended 
from  a  variety  of  pigeon  which  first  bred  among  the  cliffs 
bordering  the  sea-shore. 

Question.  Do  the  squabs  fly  out  of  the  nest  before  they  are 
four  weeks  old?  Answer.  No;  they  look  old  enough  to  fly 
at  four  weeks,  and  their  wings  seem  all  ready  for  use,  but  they 
stay  in  the  nest  and  are  fed  by  the  parent  birds,  and  when  you 
wish  to  kill  them  you  find  both  in  the  nest  ready  for  you. 

Question.  Your  book  states  that  pigeons  sometimes  lay 
their  eggs  on  the  floor.  But  it  does  not  say  anything  about 
taking  the  eggs  and  putting  them  in  a  nest  bowl.  Would  the 


112      NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

birds  follow  their  eggs  and  accept  change  of  nest  from  floor  to 
nest  bowl?  Answer.  No;  you  must  leave  the  eggs  where 
they  lay  them.  You  can  handle  a  nest  and  change  eggs  from 
one  nest  bowl  to  another,  if  you  wish,  but  you  cannot  move 
eggs  from  one  place  in  the  squab  house  to  another  and  expect 
the  birds  to  find  them  and  go  on  with  their  laying. 

Question.  Do  all  squab  breeders  heat  their  houses  in  the 
winter  time;  I  mean  those  who  do  a  large  business  like  your- 
self. Answer.  No;  some  breeders  of  many  years'  experience 
believe  that  a  warm  house  is  detrimental  to  the  health  of  the 
birds,  on  account  of  the  sudden  change  of  temperature  from 
a  warm  house  to  a  cold  flying  pen.  The  object  should  be 
merely  to  take  the  damp  winter  chill  off  the  air.  If  you  have 
a  warm,  tight  squab  house  which  you  will  close  when  night 
comes,  you  will  need  no  heat. 

Question.  In  the  case  of  a  long  house,  say  four  units  long, 
should  there  be  wire  netting  partitions  between  the  units,  so 
as  to  separate  the  birds  into  four  flocks?  Answer.  Such  an 
arrangement  is  more  practical  than  one  long  house.  It  is 
better  to  keep  track  of  four  small  flocks  than  one  large  flock. 
You  can  keep  account  of  the  birds  both  on  paper,  and  with 
your  eyes,  with  more  precision. 

Question.  How  would  a  cement  floor  for  the  squab  house 
do?  Answer.  Do  not  use  cement.  See  page  43  again. 

Question.  How  is  salt  cat  made?  Answer.  Take  sixteen 
quarts  of  sand,  eight  quarts  of  slaked  lime,  four  quarts  of 
ground  oyster  shells,  one  pint  of  salt,  one  pint  of  caraway 
seeds  and  mix  with  water  into  a  stiff  mud.  Form  into  bricks 
and  set  away  to  dry.  The  water  with  which  you  mix  should 
have  a  tablespoonful  of  sulphate  of  iron  and  a  tablespoonful 
of  sulphuric  acid  for  tonic  and  disinfectant.  The  birds  peck 
at  this  mixture  and  it  is  believed  to  have  a  tonic  and  strength- 
ening effect  on  them. 

Question.  Shall  I  crowd  one  of  the  units  with  nest  boxes, 
or  would  it  be  better  to  have  a  smaller  number  of  nest  boxes 
and  build  another  unit  to  accommodate  the  new  birds  which 
I  am  going  to  buy?  Answer.  Better  enlarge  your  squab 
house.  In  case  of  doubt,  you  will  be  on  the  safer  side  if  you 
do  not  crowd  the  birds. 

(See  following  pages  for  points  which  may  occur  to  you  and 
which  are  not  covered  in  these  questions  and  answers.) 


SUPPLEME  NT. 

NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK. 
BY  ELMER  C.   RICE. 


Every  year  shows  a  healthy  growth  in 
the  squab  industry  and  in  our  business, 
which  has  become  the  largest  in  the 
world  in  the  pigeon  or  poultry  line,  and  is 
expanding  steadily,  requiring  every  little 
while  new  buildings,  larger  business  of- 
fices, more  help — and  the  growth  is  going 
steadily  on,  with  every  prospect  of  a  like 
increase  the  coming  year. 

On,  April  1,  1904,  to  get  more  room  for 
the  Boston  office,  we  were  obliged  to 
move  from  No.  9  Friend  street,  and  are 
now  located  at  287  Atlantic  avenue,  Bos- 
ton, where  in  a  new  modern  building 
and  with  our  quarters  fitted  with  every 
modern  convenience  for  the  rapid  and  ac- 
curate handling  of  business,  we  have  the 
largest  space  In  New  England  devoted  to 
the  pigeon  or  poultry,  or  kindred  trade. 

Our  Manual,  the  National  Standard 
Squab  Book,  is  the  best-selling  work  on 
breeding  or  farm-life  ever  published  in 
any  country,  and  has  been  carried  in  the 
mails  to  every  part  of  the  civilized  world. 

We  do  not  speak  of  these  matters  in  a 
boastful  spirit  to  magnify  what  we  have 
done,  but  because  they  are  an  assurance 
to  new  customers  that  we  are  entitled  to 
their  confidence  and  patronage. 

We  are  most  humbly  grateful  to  the  men 
and  women  who  have  favored  us  so  boun- 
tifully with  their  trade  and  intend  to 
merit  further  confidence. 

Our  business  is  too  much  a  matter  of 
pride  with  us,  too  large,  and  too  success- 
ful, to  permit  of  a  single  patron  being 
dissatisfied.  We  have  spent  over  $100,000 
to  put  our  trade  on  a  firm  and  successful 
footing  and  we  cannot  afford  to  run  the 
risk  of  displeasing  a  customer.  If  re- 
sources, skill  and  experience  count  for 
anything,  and  we  think  they  do.  we  intend 
to  keep  on  furnishing-  the  best  Homer 
pigeons  possible,  and  patrons  can  rest  as- 
sured that  they  are  getting  for  their 
money  the  greatest  possible  value.  More- 
over, we  have  one  price  to  all;  the  cus- 
tomer In  California  can  buy  of  us  as 
cheaply  as  our  next  door  neighbors.  Our 
farm  is  always  open  to  inspection  and 
customers  may  make  their  own  selection 
of  breeding  stock,  if  they  desire. 

Our  general  advertising-  in  the  high- 
class  magazines  and  other  periodicals  not 
only  Induces  the  breeding  of  squabs  but 
also  leads  people  to  eat  squabs.  For 
everyone  who  sees  our  advertising  and 
writes  for  particulars  and  starts  breed- 
ing, there  are  a  score  of  men  and  women 


who  enquire  of  their  butchers  or  market- 
men  for  squabs  in  order  to  eat  them. 
Squab  dealers  in  evary  section  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada  are  reporting 
an  increased  demand  with  which  the  sup- 
ply cannot  begin  to  keep  pace. 

We  take  some  pride  in  the  squab  indus- 
try. We  were  the  pioneers  in  it  and  we 
put  it  on  a  commercial  basis.  We  have 
fostered  it  on  correct  lines  and  according 
to  sound  business  principles,  and  the 
growth  has  not  been  a  "boom,"  as  some 
other  things  in  the  past  have  been 
boomed,  but  has  been  steady  and  sure 
and  successful.  We  paint  no  extravagant 
picture  as  to  the  profits  of  squab  raising, 
and  we  show  proofs  every  step  of  the  way 
— stories  of  success  of  our  customers  who 
started  green  and  are  making  money. 

That  there  are  occasional  failures  is  to 
be  expected.  We  give  no  recipe  and  sell 
no  machinery  for  transforming  an  incom- 
petent person  who  fails  at  many  tasks 
into  a  success.  But  the  history  of  this  in- 
dustry and  of  our  business  demonstrates 
with  a  power  that  cannot  be  denied  that 
squab  raising  is  RIGHT. 

No  business  climbs  up  the  hill  of  profit 
steadily  for  any  length  of  time  unless  it  Is 
absolutely  fair,  advertised  by  true  state- 
ments, and  giving  a  true  money's  worth. 
When  we  began  to  tell  the  country  about 
squabs,  peonle  would  come  to  our  office 
and  say,  "Well,  it  reads  pretty  good,  but 
is  it  true?"  We  did  not  have  much  evi- 
dence ready  then,  but  we  have  now.  Our 
answer  is  the  present  condition  of  the 
squab  industry,  forging  ahead  with  giant 
strides  to  its  place  alongside  of  eggs  and 
poultry,  millions  of  dollars  in  value,  and 
the  unsolicited  letters  from  our  customers 
which  we  print,  showing  the  most  remark- 
able and  convincing  progres  of  this 
breeding. 

We  have  already  printed  a  great  many 
of  these  letters  in  years  past,  and  we 
print  more  in  this  Supplement.  We  have 
room  here  to  show  only  a  small  part  of 
such  testimony.  For  every  letter  printed 
here  we  have  scores  just  as  convincing. 
These  communications  have  come  to  us 
unsolicited,  day  by  day,  as  the  business 
brought  them,  and  more  are  coming 
every  day,  and  they  are  our  answer  to 
doubters.  They  are  the  proof  that  what 
we  say  about  the  business  and  what 
we  teach  In  the  Manual,  is  true,  and  Is 
being  worked  out  successfully.  We  do  not 
print  the  names  and  addresses  of  th» 


113 


114          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


writers  of  these  letters  because  many  of 
them  are  regular  buyers  of  our  birds,  arid 
moreover,  we  cannot  advertise  other 
breeders  free  of  charge.  These  letters  and 
the  testimony  they  give  are  valueless  if 
they  are  not  genuine.  Each  and  everyone 
is  genuine,  and  moreover,  we  guarantee 
their  genuineness,  and  will  produce  the 
originals  at  any  time  to  satisfy  anybody. 
In  these  days  when  many  "testimonials" 
are  unblushingly  "worked  up"  without  a 
shadow  of  foundation,  there  are  skeptics, 
and  to  such  who  cannot  come  to  Boston 
and  see  us,  we  recommend  that  they  send 
one  of  the  commercial  agency  men  to 
make  the  inquiry  and  handle  the  evidence. 
We  have  never  yet  had  the  genuineness  of 
our  letters  from  customers  questioned,  for 
they  "ring  true"  and  are  in  the  simple 
language  of  facts  which  cannot  be  counter- 
feited, but  we  are  ready  at  any  time  for 
any  doubter. 

What  others  have  done  and  are  doing 
with  our  birds,  you  can  do. 

KILLING  MACHINE.— To  kill  squabs 
with  extreme  rapidity  we  have  made  a  ma- 
chine with  which  the  operator  can  work 
with  much  ease  and  satisfaction.  The 
method  of  tweaking  the  necks  which  we 
describe  and  illustrate  in  the  Manual  is 
slow  when  compared  with  the  work  of  this 
machine,  and  is  repugnant  to  many,  es- 
pecially women. 

The  illustration  shows  the  construction 
clearly.  The  neck  of  the  squab  is  placed 
between  the  movable  arm  (or  lever)  ami 
the  lower  arm,  and  the  lever  is  brought 
down  upon  the  neck,  breaking  the  bones, 
crushing  the  spinal  cord  and  killing  th"e 
squab  instantly.  The  operation  produces 
no  blood,  nor  does  it  break  the  flesh. 
The  two  edges  of  the  upper  and  lower 
arms,  where  they  come  together  against 
the  neck  of  the  squab  should  not  be  sharp 
so  as  to  cut  the  flesh,  but  should  be  round- 
ing, and  slightly  flat  at  the  points  of 
contact. 

The  base-board  is  made  of  three-quar- 
ters, or  one-inch  lumber,  twenty  inches 
long  and  seven  inches  wide.  The  upper 


arm  (or  lever)  is  of  half-inch  stock,  one 
and  three-quarters  inches  wide  and  fif- 
teen inches  long.  The  lower  arm  is  of 
half-inch  stock  one  and  three-quarters 
inches  wide  and  eight  and  one-half  inches 
long.  The  two  upright  pieces  in  front, 
nearest  the  hand  of  the  operator,  are  each 
of  seven-eighths  or  inch  stock,  one  and 


three-quarters  inches  wide  and  three  and 
three-quarters  inches  high.  The  two  up- 
right pieces  in  back,  furthest  from  the 
hand  of  the  operator,  are  each  of  seven- 
eighths  or  inch  stock,  two  and  one-half 
inches  wide  and  three  and  three-quarters 
inches  high. 

The  pin  at  the  back  of  the  machine  on 
which  the  lever  turns  is  of  one-quarter 
inch  brass  or  iron  rod  two  and  one-quar- 
ter inches  long. 

The  upper  arm  (or  lever)  is  beveled  or 
cut  off  at  an  angle  on  lower  corner  (be- 
hind the  uprights,  and  consequently  in- 
visible in  the  picture)  so  that  the  lever  can 
be  raised  to  an  angle  of  forty-five  degrees, 
thus  permitting  the  neck  of  the  squab  to 
be  inserted  between  the  arms  at  a  point 
just  back  of  the  farther  uprights.  When 
the  upper  lever  is  at  rest  upon  the  lower 
arm,  there  should  be  no  space  between  the 
two;  they  should  butt  flush  together. 

The  whole  machine  is  built  of  wood  with 
the  exception  of  the  metal  pivot  and  the 
screws  which  hold  the  parts  together.  It 
is  not  necessary  to  mortise  the  uprights 
into  the  base-board.  The  screws  which 
fasten  the  uprights  are  started  underneath 
from  the  back  side  of  the  base-board  and 
go  through  the  base-board.  Nails  may  be 
used  instead  of  screws  to  hold  the  parts 
together,  but  the  job  will  not  be  so 
strong.  The  base-board  should  be  nailed  or 
screwed  to  a  bench  or  table  so  as  to  give 
firmness  and  solidity  in  operation.  Carry 
the  squabs  in  a  basket  to  the  machine  and 
kill  them  there;  do  not  take  the  machine 
into  the  pens  and  kill  the  squabs  in  sight 
of  the  other  birds. 

We  do  not  sell  this  squab  killer.  It 
should  be  built  by  you  or  your  carpenter. 

Customers  with  large  plants  have  told 
us  that  this  tool  is  a  handy  article,  and  we 
have  found  it  indispensable.  The  squabs 
can  be  killed  as  fast  as  you  can  work  the 
lever.  The  pressure  is  considerable  and 
the  cords  are  crushed  at  once.  The  squab 
is  not  strangled  but  is  paralyzed,  and 
made  lifeless  at  once. 

After  killing  in  this  manner,  the  squab 
may  be  bled,  if  desired,  by  inserting  a 
long,  sharp  knife  in  throat  and  cutting  it 
inside,  out  of  sight.  It  is  easier  to  do 
this  after  the  squab  is  dead  than  when 
it  is  alive. 

WEANING  THE  YOUNG  BIRDS.— If  you 
are  starting  with  a  small  flock  with  the 
expectation  of  raising  your  own  breeders, 
do  not  take  the  young  birds  away  from 
their  parents  out  of  the  breeding  pen  until 
they  are  weaned.  They  are  not  thoroughly 
weaned  until  they  are  six  to  seven  weeks 
old.  It  is  true  that  many  of  them  hop  or 
fly  or  are  pushed  out  of  the  nests  when 
they  are  from  four  to  five  weeks  old,  but 
they  continue  to  cry  for  food  when  they 
are  hungry,  and  the  old  cock  bird  of  the 
pair  which  hatched  them  will  be  seen 
feeding  them  on  the  floor.  The  young- 
sters at  this  time  are  feeding  themselves, 
but  to  keep  them  strong  and  rugged  they 


SUPPLEMENT 


115 


need  the  crumbs  of  parental  food  which 
they  get  as  described,  and  for  which  they 
cry,  or  squeak.  These  crumbs  have  been 
moistened  by  the  parent  bird  and  conse- 
quently digest  quicker  and  better. 

When  the  youngsters  are  weaned,  take 
them  out  of  the  breeding  pen  and  put 
them  in  the  rearing  pen.  You  can  tell 
by  their  looks  when  they  are  old  enough 
to  remove,  even  if  you  have  not  kept 
track  of  their  age.  The  substance  at  the 
base  of  the  bill  of  an  old  pigeon  which 
is  white  will  be  a  dark  brown  on  a  squab 
or  young  bird.  A  squab  in  the  nest  is 
so  fat  as  often  to  be  bigger  than  either  of 
his  parents,  but  after  he  has  got  out  of 
the  nest  and  hustled  around  on  the  floor 
he  trains  off  that  fat  and  becomes  thin 
and  rangy  and  can  generally  be  told  from 
an  old  bird,  if  in  no  other  way,  because  he 
is  smaller. 

A  poor  beginner  will  sometimes  be  heard 
to  say:  "Many  of  my  young  birds  are 
dying."  When  he  says  that,  you  may  be 
sure  that  the  trouble,  every  time,  is  with 
him,  and  not  with  his  birds,  provided,  of 
course,  his  parent  stock  is  rugged  and 
handsome.  It  may  be  deduced,  without 
askir\g  any  further  questions,  that  he  is 
taking  his  young  birds  away  from  the 
breeding  pen  before  they  have  the  strength 
to  support  themselves.  The  precarious 
period  of  all  animal  life  is  the  weaning 
age.  Some  beginners  who  have  had  no 
difficulty  in  raising  squabs  to  market  age 
have  had  losses  because  they  supposed 
that  a  full-fledged  youngster  was  able  to 
take  care  of  itself,  but  we  never  knew  a 
case  of  this  which  we  could  not  straighten 
out  simply  by  recommending  the  breeder 
to  keep  his  young  birds  longer  in  the 
breeding  pen. 

NEED  OP  HEALTH  GRIT.— It  lias 
been  our  experience  in  dealing  not  only 
with  many  thousands  of  beginners  in  the 
squab  business,  but  also  with  a  great 
many  breeders  of  considerable  experience, 
that  comparatively  few  have  a  proper  ap- 
preciation of  the  value  of  grit.  Pigeons 
have  no  teeth  and  must  have  grit  to  take 
the  place  of  teeth,  otherwise  they  cannot 
prepare  their  food  for  their  stomachs  prop- 
erly, and  will  not  do  well.  We  have  had 
customers  take  the  most  extraordinary 
care  with  regard  to  the  grain,  but  supply 
absolutely  no  grit,  and  then  they  com- 
plained because  their  birds  were  not 
breeding  properly,  and  that  the  squabs 
were  not  plump. 

Grit  is  not  oyster  shell,  nor  is  oyster 
shell  grit.  You  must  have  both.  The  grit 
is  needed,  as  stated,  to  grind  the  grain, 
while  the  oyster  shell  is  needed  to  supply 
the  constituents  out  of  which  the  female 
pip-eon  forms  the  egg. 

The  yard  of  the  flying  pen  must  be 
gravelled,  not  grassed,  and  out  of  this 
gravel  the  birds  g-et  considerable  grit.  If 
you  watch  them,  you  will  see  them  peck- 
ing at  this  gravel  In  the  flying1  pen  con- 
stantly. Beach  sand,  or  sand  of  any  kind, 


may  be  used  in  the  flying  pen  instead  of 
gravel.  The  flying  pen  yard  should  be  re- 
newed with  fresh  sand  or  gravel  every  six 
weeks,  for  although  it  may  look  the  same 
to  you,  you  must  remember  that  it  does 
not  look  the  same  to  the  birds,  for  they 
have  bean  going  over  it  constantly  picking 
out  the  particles  which  they  liked.  In  the 
winter  time  when  the  flying  pen  may  be 
covered  with  snow,  it  is  well  to  keep  a 
protected  box  filled  with  gravel  or  sand  in 
the  squab-house.  By  a  protected  box,  we 
mean  a  box  which  the  birds  cannot  foul, 
but  which  allows  the-  grit  to  fall  down  as 
fast  as  eaten. 

In  a  protected  box  in  the  squab-house 
there  should  also  be  fed  the  Health  Grit 
A-hich  we  sell.  We  have  used  all  kinds  of 
?rits,  and  the  grit  we  are  now  using  and 
selling  to  the  exclusion  of  everything  else, 
is  the  only  grit  which  pigeons  will  eat 
greedily  (thus  showing  that  it  is  good  for 
them).  It  contains  salt,  and  no  salt  need 
be  provided  in  lump  fc  rm  if  this  grit  is 
supplied.  The  grits  commonly  manufac- 
tured and  sold  for  poultry,  made  out  of 
granite,  etc.,  are  useless  for  pigeons,  and 
it  is  a  waste  of  money  to  buy  them,  for 
common  gravel  or  sand  would  be  fully  as 
good,  and  cost  nothing. 

A  flock  of  pigeons  under  any  conditions 
and  in  any  part  of  the  country  will  do 
better  when  our  Health  Grit  is  fed.  The 
squabs  will  be  ready  for  market  a  few 
days  earlier,  they  will  be  plumper,  and 
both  they  and  the  old  birds  will  be  in 
rugged  health,  and  will  keep  so.  We  keep 
this  grit  before  our  own  pigeons  con- 
stantly, and  consume  and  sell  more  tons 
of  it  every  year  than  of  any  grit  in  the 
market.  It  is  used  by  practically  every 
large  squab  breeder  of  our  acquaintance. 
We  recommend  it  in  the  highest  terms, 
knowing  in  our  own  experience  that  it 
pays  for  itself  many  times  over. 

We  charge  two  dollars  per  100  pounds 
for  this  grit.  We  do  not  sell  less  than 
fifty  pounds.  Price  of  fifty  pounds,  one 
dollar.  We  ship  it  in  bags  and  it  goes  at 
a  low  freight  rate.  A  100-lb.  bag  will  last 
a  small  flock  for  months.  It  is  as  good 
for  hens  as  for  pigeons.  This  grit  should 
be  kept  in  and  fed  from  a  wood  box.  Do 
not  put  it  in  a  tin  or  galvanized  iron  box. 

OYSTER  SHELL.— A  great  deal  of  oyster 
shell  on  the  market  is  unfit  for  pigeons, 
not  being  ground  fine  enough.  It  is  qu'te 
difficult  in  some  sections  of  the  west  and 
south  to  get  oyster  shell,  which  has  to  be 
transported  from  the  seaboard.  The  ovstor 
shell  which  we  supply  our  trade  is  put  up 
in  one-hundred  pound  baers.  Pn'ce  75 
cents  per  100  pounds.  No  ord»r  filled  for 
less  than  fifty  pounds;  price  of  fifty  pounds, 
forty  cents.  It  is  ground  fine  and  is  just 
right  for  pigeons.  It  should  be  fed  to  the 
birds  from  a  protected  box  in  the  squab- 
house. 

INSECT  SPRAYER.— Pigeons  have  a 
long-  feather  louse  which  is  not  harmful. 


116          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


The  mite  which  causes  the  only  trouble  is 
small,  about  the  size. of  a  pin-head,  called 
the  red  mite,  because  after  it  has  sucked 
the  blood  of  the  pigeon  it  is  colored  red. 
We  have  gone  a  whole  season  without  see- 
ing any  of  these  mites  in  our  breeding 
houses.  If  lice  of  this  kind,  or  any  kind, 
are  discovered,  the  insect  sprayer  which 
we  illustrate  here  will  be  found  useful. 
The  barrel  is  filled  with  kerosene  (or 
water  in  which  squab-fe-nol  has  been 
poured)  and  a  fine  spray  driven  against  the 
nest-boxes  and  nest-bowls,  or  even  against 
the  birds. 

These  insect  sprayers  are  well  made  of 
heavy  tin.  We  sell  them  for  fifty  cents 
each.  They  cannot  be  mailed,  but  should 


be  sent  by  express,  or  with  other  goods 
by  freight. 

Birds  which  are  lousy  may  be  dusted 
under  the  feathers,  next  the  skin,  with 
any  good  lice  powder.  The  best  time  for 
such  treatment  is  at  night,  when  the 
birds  may  ba  readily  caught  and  handled. 
It  is  also  a  good  idea  to  throw  a  pinch  of 
lice  powder  in  the  nest,  on  and  around 
the  squabs,  about  once  a  month  during 
the  summer. 

Lice  are  the  terror  of  chicken  raisers, 
but  we  never  knew  a  squab  raiser,  if  in- 
telligent, to  be  troubled  very  much  or 
very  long  with  lice.  Once  free  of  lice, 
the  birds  almost  invariably  keep  them- 
selves clean.  It  is  only  the  loft  where 
cleaning  is  badly  neglected  which  is 
troubled  with  lice. 

There  is  a  light-colored  grub  which 
sometimes  forms  in  the  manure  on  the 
bottom  of  the  nest-box,  but  no  trouble 
comes  from  it  and  it  does  not  get  on  the 
bird. 

RED  AND  WHITE  WHEAT.— It  is  im- 
possible for  us  to  tell  what  is  the  differ- 
ence between  red  and  white  wheat.  We  do 
not  know  the  chemical  constituents  which 
color  ons  kernel  red  and  another  variety 
white.  This  question  is  asked  us  by  in- 
quirers who  have  never  heard  of  red 
wheat,  yet  it  is  a  common  and  staple 
variety  of  wheat  quoted  daily  in  the 
Chicago  and  other  grain  marksts.  If  you 
cannot  get  red  wheat  where  you  live,  feed 
white  wheat,  which  is  fed  regularly  by 
nine-tenths  of  our  customers.  As  we  say 
in  the  Manual,  we  feed  red  wheat  instead 
of  white  wheat  because  it  is  not  so  much 
of  a  laxative.  When  we  cannot  get  red 
wheat,  which  happens  at  some  periods  of 
some  years,  we  feed  white  wheat. 

The  effect  of  wheat  is  to  keep  the  bow- 
els of  the  birds  open  and  regular.  There 
is  not  much  fattening  substance  in  wheat. 


That  function  is  performed  by  corn, 

Birds  fed  on  wheat  and  nothing  else  get 
so  weak  that  they  do  no  breeding.  We 
have  found  this  out  by  the  experience  of 
customers.  Now  and  then  a  customer  buys 
birds  without  thinking  that  they  must  eat 
to  live.  After  he  has  got  them  he  sud- 
denly recalls  that  they  must  be  fed  and 
starts  out  to  find  something.  We  recall 
vividly  one  Kansas  customer  of  this  kind 
who  was  induced  by  some  grain  man  to 
buy  a  lot  of  wheat  and  nothing  else.  After 
feeding  his  birds  nothing  but  wheat  for 
two  weeks,  he  wrote  us  that  they  were 
dumpy  and  showing  no  inclination  to 
build  nests.  "They  are  all  the  time  on 
the  floor,"  he  wrote,  "and  cannot  fly."  He 
had  got  them  so  weak  by  feeding  the 
wheat  that  they  could  not  fly  to  their  nesj.- 
boxes,  to  say  nothing  of  building  nests. 

USE  OF  LEG  BAND  OUTFIT.— The 
aluminum  which  we  sell  with  our  leg 
band  outfit  is  seamless  tubing  and  by  the 
use  of  the  outfit  you  produce  a  band  which 
is  seamless  and  which  can  be  applied  only 
to  a  squab,  because,  of  course,  the  feet 
of  an  old  pigeon  are  too  large  to  be 
squeezed  through  the  band  as  a  squab's 
can  be  squeezed.  To  make  an  open  band 
(which  can  be  applied  to  the  leg  of  a  full- 
grown  pigeon)  out  of  the  closed  band,  you 
simply  make  a  saw-cut  lengthwise  the 
band,  then  open  the  band  with  your  fingers, 
put  it  around  the  leg  of  the  pigeon,  then 
close  the  band  again.  If  anyone  has  old 
pigeons  which  he  wishes  to  band,  he  will 
find  this  band  outfit  quite  as  serviceable 
as  if  used  only  for  banding  squabs.  We 
have  sold  thousands  of  these  band  out- 
fits, and  customers  like  them  first  rate. 
We  can  furnish  open  bands  (to  be  ap- 
plied to  the  legs  of  full  grown  pigeons) 
made  of  aluminum,  V-shaped  joint,  each 
band  numbered,  a  first-class  band  in 
every  way,  for  two  cents  each,  or  two  dol- 
lars for  one  hundred,  postage  paid. 

MANAGEMENT  OF  BATH  PANS.— 
The  sixteen-inch  bath  pan  which  we  rec- 
ommend and  sell  is  better  than  a  larger 
size,  no  matter  what  the  capacity  of  your 
plant.  It  is  easier  emptied  of  water, 
there  is  less  strain  on  the  arms,  and  it  is 
kept  clean  easier. 

There  should  be  one  bath  pan  for  every 
twelve  pairs  of  birds.  If  you  have  about 
48  pairs  of  birds  in  each  unit,  you  should 
have  four  bath  pans  in  that  unit,  outside 
in  the  flying  pen.  You  can  get  along  very 
well  with  one  drinking  fountain  to  a  unit 
with  that  number  of  birds,  or  .a  less  num- 
ber of  birds,  but  if  you  do  not  have  bath 
pans  enough  the  bathing  water  will  get 
dirtier  than  it  should  and  the  birds  should 
not  be  given  an  opportunity  to  drink  this 
dirty  water. 

In  the  winter,  when  the  birds  are  shut 
up  in  the  squab-house  frequently  for  days 
at  a  time,  it  is  not  necessary  to  bathe 
them  every  day.  Bathe  them  say  once  a 
week,  taking  the  bath  pans  into  the 


SUPPLEMENT 


117 


squab-house  and  letting  the  pans  stand  be- 
fore them  for  about  an  hour.  If  you  let 
the  water  stand  in  the  bath  pans  in  the 
squab-house  in  the  winter  time  all  day, 
they  will  splash  too  much  out  onto  the 
floor,  and  the  house  will  get  damp. 

We  fill  and  empty  the  bath  pans  three 
times  a  day  in  the  summer  time.  If  your 
plant  is  a  small  one,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  do  that.  The  best  way  for  you  to  man- 
age is  this:  At  evening  (sunset,  sometimes 
before)  your  birds  will  all  leave  the  flying 
pen  for  their  nests  and  perches  inside. 
Then  fill  the  bath  pans  with  water.  When 
the  following  day  dawns,  and  before  you 
are  up,  the  pigeons  will  fly  out  and  take 
a  bath.  When  you  get  up,  go  to  your 
pigeons  and  empty  the  bath  pans,  turning 
them  bottomside  up  and  leaving  them  that 
way  all  day. 

The  price  of  these  sixteen-inch  bath 
pans  is  forty  cents,  crated  ready  for  ship- 
ment. 

KILLING  WITH  A  KNIFE.— Some  deal- 
ers in  squabs  wish  them  to  be  killed  with 
a  knife  as  this  gets  out  the  blood  and 
makes  the  flesh  somewhat  whiter.  Find 
out  whether  or  not  the  man  to  whom  you 
are  going  to  sell  the  squabs  wants  them 
bled.  The  way  to  kill  them  with  a  knife 
is  to  insert  the  knife  inside  the  bill  and 
cut  the  jugular  vein.  Then  hang  up  the 
squab  bill  downward  and  let  the  blood 
drain  out.  By  using  the  knife  on  the  in- 
side of  the  throat  you  do  not  make  a 
wound  which  is  visible  to  the  eye  of  the 
consumer.  Use  a  knife  with  a  long,  nar- 
row, sharp  blade. 

CONCERNING  NEST-BOXES.  —  Many 
customers  who  do  not  use  egg-crates  or 
orange  boxes,  but  build  their  nest-boxes  of 
half-inch  or  five-eighths  lumber,  have 
written  us  that  they  have  used  the  con- 
struction which  we  illustrate  herewith, 
and  which  is  good,  because  cleaning  can 
be  better  done. 

The  bottoms  of  the  nest-boxes  are  re- 
movable and  rest  on  cleats,  as  the  pic- 
ture shows.  The  cleats  are  seven-eighths 
or  one  inch  square  and  are  nailed  to  the 
uprights. 

When  this  construction  is  employed,  it  is 
not  necessary  that  you  have  a  block  or 
basa  screwed  to  our  nappy  or  nest-bowl. 
The  nappy  or  nest-bowl  may  be  screwed 
directly  onto  this  removable  nest-box 
bottom. 

It  is  not  necessary,  and  not  advisable, 
to  nail  a  strip  of  wood  across  the  fronts 
of  the  nest-boxes,  to  prevent  the  squabs 
from  falling  out.  The  plain  nest-box  con- 
struction is  better  in  every  way.  Begin- 
ners who  tack  strips  of  wood  across  the 
fronts  or  who  make  a  closed,  dark  nest- 
box,  invariably  abandon  such  construction 
after  a  few  months'  use  of  it. 

The  squabs  stay  in  the  nest  until  they 
are  ready  to  leave  it,  and  it  is  very  rare 
to  find  one  on  the  floor.  It  will  be  noticed 
that  in  the  cities,  the  street  pigeons'  nests 


in  many  cases  will  be  found  on  the  open 
cornices   of  high   buildings,    and    if    squabs 


stay  in  such  nests  until  they  are  able  to 
fly,  the  beginner  with  squabs  ought  not  to 
be  worried  about  his  birds'  nests  which  ara 
only  a  few  feet  from  the  floor. 

SQUABS    IN    CHICAGO.— The    following 
article   is   taken   from   the  Chicago  Ameri- 
can: 
SQUAB   FARMING  IS   A   NEW  CHICAGO 

INDUSTRY. 
LITTLE    CAPITAL    IS    REQUIRED    AND 

PERSONS       OF        GOOD        JUDGMENT 

AND      CARE      CAN      REALIZE      GOOD 

PROFITS     FROM     PIGEON     CULTURE. 

If  all  the  birds  in  all  the  pies  were  sud- 
denly to  lift  their  voices  in  song  like 
those  in  the  nursery  rhyme,  the  chorus 
would  be  loud  and  long,  for  raising  cf 
squabs  for  food  is  a  constantly  growing 
and  lucrative  industry,  and  withal  very 
fascinating. 

A  number  of  farms  each  sheltering  sev- 
eral hundred  birds  are*  being  conducted 
within  easy  reach  of  the  Chicago  market. 

Such  clubs  as  the  Union  League  and 
Athletic  are  always  ready  buyers.  Plump 
birds  are  readily  sold  for  a  dollar  apiece 
for  breeding  purposes,  and  their  squabs 
at  $4  a  dozen  for  food.  As  in  any  field  of 
labor  the  best  results  come  from  studied 
and  carefully  planned  effort.  Utmost 
cleanliness  in  food  and  in  the  little  com- 
partments to  which  each  bird  comes  with 
unerring  instinct  to  nest  enters  largely  in 
success. 

Eggs  of  clear  black  or  white  birds  are 
difficult  to  hatch  because  the  birds  of 
those  colors  ara  very  restless  and  nervous, 
not  caring  for  their  eggs;  sometimes  only 
one  in  a  dozen  being  matured. 

In  four  weeks  the  young  bird  is  ready 
for  the  market.  Many  of  the  squab  farms 
are  side  issues  of  those  employed  at  other 
vocations  during  the  day,  and  bid  fair  to 
attract  the  attention  of  those  seeking 
quick  returns  from  a  small  outlay. 

Attention  to  recognized  habits  of  the 
birds,  sanitary  conditions  and  good  breeds 


118          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


for  parent   birds  are   all   that  is  necessary 
to   success. 

ACTUAL,  TESTS  CONVINCED  THEM.— 
In  Appendix  A  in  our  Manual,  we  tell  of 
a  sale  of  our  Homers  which  we  made  in 
February,  1903,  to  a  ship  captain,  who  in- 
tended to  sail  from  Boston  around  Cape 
Horn  to  the  Pacific  coast,  with  stops,  the 
whole  voyage  to  be  made  in  about  a  year, 
the  pigeons  to  furnish  fresh  squab  meat 
for  the  long  journey.  The  ship  went  to 
Florida,  from  Boston,  thence  to  Rio  de 
Janeiro,  Brazil,  safely,  and  sailed  from 
there  October  1,  1903.  Under  date  of  June 
22,  1904,  the  Captain  wrote  us  as  follows 
from  New  York  City:  "The  birds  proved 
all  you  claim  for  them,  and  even  more. 
I  put  them  in  a  small  house  I  built,  four 
by  eight,  and  four  by  four  flying  pen  on 
March  7,  1903.  (This  was  on  the  deck  of 
the  ship.)  They  all  hatched  before  April 
6,  and  up  to  June  5,  1904,  every  bird  had 
hatched  twelve  times,  and  one  pair  thir- 
teen times.  I  saved  one  pair  of  the  first 
hatches,  that  was  born  about  April  6,  and 
in  October  they  hatched  their  first  pair, 
and  up  to  June  5  had  six  hatchings,  which 
I  think  was  pretty  good.  I  am  satisfied 
that  if  the  birds  are  taken  care  of  there  is 
big  money  in  them,  and  just  as  soon  as  I 
can  get  a  location  in  New  Jersey  near  New 
York  City,  I  will  send  to  you  for  two  or 
three  hundred  pairs.  I  have  an  option  on 
a  place  now  and  will  know  tomorrow.  I 
am  pretty  sure  I  shall  get  it  and  by  next 
Monday  I  am  in  hopes  to  begin  my  houses. 
As  soon  as  I  get  them  ready,  I  will  send 
you  a  draft  for  what  birds  I  want.  As  my 
houses  are  built  I  will  order  and  fill  them 
and  I  hope  you  will  try  and  give  me  a 
good  lot  of  birds.  I  shall  build  for  one 
thousand  pairs  this  summer  and  increase 
next  year  if  the  birds  are  as  good  as  those 
you  gave  me.  In  two  .weeks  you  may  ex- 
pect to  get  an  order  for  two  hundred 
pairs,  so  you  can  begin  to  get  them  paired 
off.  Any  suggestion  you  can  give  me 
about  the  houses  will  be  very  acceptable, 
as  I  am  going  to  begin  to  build  at  once." 

Since  the  above  was  written,  he  has  built 
his  first  house  and  we  have  shipped  him 
the  first  large  lot  of  birds.  His  experience 
is  certainly  convincing.  Anyone  who  has 
doubts  can  start  with  a  small  purchase  of 
birds  and  find  out  the  facts  for  himself, 
just  as  this  customer  did. 

We  are  continually  filling  large  orders 
for  customers  who  started  with  a  small 
purchase  and  did  well.  Why  don't  you 
start  with  two  dozen  or  so  pairs  and  have 
the  experience  of  this  Michigan  customer 
whose  order  we  received  this  summer: 
"A  short  time  ago  I  received  twenty-five 
pairs  of  your  Homers.  They  are  all  doing 
finely,  every  bird  being  lively  and  full  of 
vim.  They  are  almost  all  at  work  now 
nest-building,  and  I  am  more  than  satis- 
fied with  results  thus  far  obtained.  I 
am  about  to  build  two  houses,  each  house 
to  accommodate  two  hundred  and  fltfy 
pairs,  divided  into  five  flocks  of  fifty  pairs. 


Enclosed  find  New  York  draft  to  pay  for 
four  hundred  and  fifty  pairs  Extra 
Homers." 

Under  date  of  July  1,  1904,  a  customer 
writes  us  from  an  Ohio  town:  "The 
Homers  1  purchased  of  you  two  years  ago 
this  month  have  been  doing  very  well,  in 
short,  their  increase  has  been  marvelous, 
averaging  nine  and  one-half  (9  1/2)  pairs 
per  year  for  the  two  years  I  have  had 
them.  I -now  have  quite  a  flock,  bred  ex- 
clusively from  the  three  pairs  of  mated 
birds  purchased  from  you,  but  think  it  is 
about  time  to  get  some  new  blood  in  the 
flock,  therefore  will  you  kindly  quote  me 
your  prices  for  birds  from  one  to  three  or 
four  months  old,  equal  parts  cocks  and 
hens,  so  that  I  may  turn  them  in  with  my 
young  birds  to  prevent  as  much  inbreed- 
ing as  possible  in  that  way.  I  want  to  say 
that  I  at  first  had  some  doubts  as  to  the 
profits  of  the  business,  but  must  confess 
that  they  are  even  more  than  you  have 
ever  claimed." 

Some  of  our  most  successful  customers 
are  women.  One  writes  us  this  summer 
as  follows:  "Enclosed  find  post-office 
money  order  for  $7,08  payment  for  the  fol- 
lowing order:  three  dozen  wood  nappies, 
three  bath  pans,  four  galvanized  iron 
drinkers.  Ship  by  freight  or  express  as  is 
cheaper.  Something  over  a  year  ago  I 
bought  twelve  pairs  of  pigeons  of  you. 
Imperative  duties  have  prevented  my  giv- 
ing them  as  much  attention  as  I  would 
wish,  but  they  have  increased  and  pros- 
pered with  but  trifling  loss.  There  are 
now  more  than  forty  pairs  nesting,  and 
altogether  a  flock  of  something  over  one 
hundred  and  fifty.  I  have  sold  none,  not 
having  had  time  even  to  sort  them  out  and 
send  them  to  market.  I  hope  soon  to  get 
into  the  lofts  and  put  things  in  first-class 
shape  and  weed  out  all  the  culls.  I  am 
very  well  satisfied  with  my  experiment." 

A  customer  in  New  York  writes:  "There 
have  been  two  pigeon  fanciers  here  this 
week  who  say  they  have  no  such  fine  stock 
as  ours,  nor  have  they  seen  anything  like 
them." 

BOSTON  PRICES.— The  squab  market  is 
improving  every  year,  and  breeders  every- 
where are  getting  better  prices,  even  right 
here  in  Boston,  the  centre  of  the  section 
where  our  business  is  done,  and  where  the 
interest  in  squabs  is  very  great.  The 
following  quotations  from  the  Boston  Daily 
Globe  cover  a  period  of  nearly  four  years, 
and,  as  will  be  seen,  prices  are  firmly 
maintained.  New  York  prices  are  better 
than  these: 

Mar.    28,     1903 $4.00  and  $5.00  a  dozen 

Apr.    25,    1903 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

May  23,  1903 4.00  and    4.50  a  dozen 

June   27,   1903 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

July   11,    1903 3.50  a  dozen 

Aug.    22,   1903 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Sept.    19,    1903 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Oct.  24,   1903 4.00  and    4.50  a  dozen 

Nov.  14,   1903 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Dec.   5,   1903 4.50  and    5.00  a  dozen 


SUPPLEMENT 


119 


Jan.    30,    1904 5.00  and    6.00  a  dozen 

Feb.    20,    1904 4.50  a  doze» 

Mar.    12,    1904 5.00  and    5.50  a  dozen 

Apr.     30,     1904 4.00  and    4.50  a  dozen 

May  28,  1904 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozan 

June    11,    1904 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozen 

July    23,     1904 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Aug.    13,   1904 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Aug.   20,   1904 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Sept.    10,    1904 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Oct.    8,    1904 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Nov.   5,   1904 3.00,   3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Dec.    31,   1904 4.50  and    5.00  a  dozen 

Jan.    7,    1905 4.50  and    5.00  a  dozen 

Mar.    25,    1905 4.50  and    5.00  a  dozen 

Apr.    1,    1905 4.00  and    4.50  a  dozen 

May    27,    1905 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

June  3,    1905 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

July   8,    1905 3.00  and    3.50  a  dozen 

Aug.   12,    1905 4.50  a  dozen 

Sept.    23,    1905 3.00  and    3.50  a  dozen 

Oct.   21,   1905 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Dec.    16,     1905 3.00  and    4.00  a  dozen 

Jan.    20,    1906 4.00  a  dozen 

Mar.    31,    1906 4.25   and    4.75  a  dozen 

Apr.    7,    1906 4.00  and    5.00  a  dozen 

May   26,    1906 3.50  a  dozen 

June  16,    1906 3.50  and    4.00  a  dozen 

July   28,    1906 3.50  a  dozen 

Aug.    22,     1906 3.50  a  dozen 

Oct.    20,    1906 3.50  a  dozen 

Jan.   5,  1907 5.00  a  dozen 

It  will  be  noticed,  in  the  above  table  of 
prices,  that  although  the  supply  of  squabs 
has  greatly  increased  during  the  past  five 
years,  the  demand  for  squabs  created  by 
our  advertising  has  more  than  kept  pace 
with  it.  Prices  at  this  writing  (Jan.  15, 
1907)  are  as  high  or  higher  than  we  have 
ever  known  them. 

BUSINESS  MANAGEMENT.— Not  a  few 
breeders  raise  squabs  by  the  hundred  and 
are  successful  in  every  detail  of  the  man- 
agement of  their  plant  except  selling  the  . 
product.  Some  beginners  seem  to  think 
they  will  be  perfectly  helpless  without 
the  co-operation  of  some  dealer. 

It  is  a  shame  to  raise  fine  squabs  and 
then  sell  them  to  some  commission  man 
or  other  dealer  who  immediately  resells 
them,  in  most  cases  for  double  what  he 
pay  you  for  them.  It  is  the  steady 
practice  of  the  dealers  in  Chicago,  for  in- 
stance, to  pay  from  $2  to  $3  per  dozen  and 
resell  them  for  $3  to  $6  per  dozen.  If  you 
don't  believe  this  is  true,  drop  your  role 
of  a  squab  seller  and  go  into  these  mar- 
kets to  buy  and  you  will  see  how  much 
profit  is  being  made  off  your  goods. 

The  squab  dealers  and  commission  men 
do  not  advertise  for  customers.  The 
squabs  are  just  as  salable  in  your  hands 
as  in  theirs.  Many  people  would  prefer 
to  buy  of  the  producer,  being  surer  of  a 
fresher  and  more  satisfactory  product. 

If  you  are  producing  squabs,  by  all 
means  sell  them  to  the  consumer  and  get 
the  price  which  the  middleman  is  getting. 
It  is  essential,  however,  if  you  are  going 
to  do  this,  that  you  make  it  known  in 


some  way  that  you  have  got  squabs  to 
sell.  Think  of  the  rich  people,  the  well- 
to-do  people,  the  good  diners  around  you 
or  nearest  you,  and  figure  out  for  yourself 
a  way  of  getting  to  them  the  information 
that  you  are  selling  something  which  they 
want  and  will  buy  steadily.  Perhaps  a 
neatly  printed  circular  sent  by  mail  will 
do  it.  Or  an  advertisement  in  the  news- 
paper in  your  territory  which  will  pro- 
duce results.  Or  you  might  pick  out  two 
or  three  likely  families  and  make  them  a 
present  of  a  squab  or  two  to  get  them 
started. 

The  products  of  the  plants  of  hundreds 
of  our  small  customers  are  spoken  for 
ahead  of  capacity  all  the  time  by  a 
neighborhood  trade,  and  this  is  what  you 
you  should  aim  at.  This  is  the  way  the 
finest  butter  and  eggs  and  poultry  are 
sold,  and  also  squabs,  and  the  plants 
of  our  customers  who  are  selling  squabs 
direct  to  the  consumer  are  paying  bet- 
ter than  the  plants  of  other  customers 
whose  product  is  marketed  with  poor 
judgment. 

Don't  be  too  fast  to  sell  to  a  hotel. 
Some  farmers  and  breeders  get  the  idea 
that  if  only  they  can  find  a  hotel  to  take 
all  their  goods,  their  fortune  is  made. 
In  every  city  there  are  one  or  more  first- 
class  hotels  which  want  the  best  of  every- 
thing and  pay  accordingly.  On  the  other 
hand,  there  are  many  hotels  which  do 
not  care  for  the  best.  For  example,  few 
hotels  care  for  the  best  ducks,  because 
a  single  dinner  order  is  half  a  duck,  and 
half  of  the  big  first-class,  expensive  ducks 
is  more  than  a  diner  wants,  so  the  hotel 
keeper  of  course  prevents  waste  by  buying 
a  small  duck.  Same  'with  squabs.  The 
hotel  buyers  are  sharp  bargainers,  and  if 
they  think  that  their  trade  will  be  satis- 
fied with  a  seven  or  eight-pound  squab, 
they  will  take  such  a  bird  rather  than  pay 
more  for  a  ten  or  twelve-pound  squab.  The 
average  squab  breeder,  like  the  average 
farmer  and  gardener,  is  content  to  sell 
to  the  middleman,  and  if  you  make  the 
acquaintance  of  a  good  one,  of  course  you 
avoid  some  bother,  yet  it  has  been  our 
experience  that  it  is  just  as  easy  to  sell 
squabs  to  the  consumer  as  to  anybody  else, 
in  fact,  after  you  have  got  started  with 
him  he  will  come  after  you  and  pay  you 
a  great  deal  more  than  anybody  else,  still 
he  is  paying  just  what  he  always  has 
paid,  and  he  is  better  satisfied.  Squabs 
are  phenomenal  sellers  and  it  is  well  to 
take  advantage  of  this  condition,  which 
is  not  always  true  of  poultry. 

MR.  McGREW  CALLS.— The  following 
is  from  the  pen  of  Mr.  T.  F.  McGrew, 
associate  editor  of  the  Feather,  poultry 
editor  of  the  Country  Gentleman,  also  a 
widely-quoted  writer  for  the  government's 
bureau  of  animal  industry,  and  a  lecturer 
for  the  New  York  State  Board  of  Agri- 
culture. He  is  one  of  the  best  known 
judges  of  poultry  and  pigeons  in  the 
United  States.  The  visit  to  our  our  farm  of 


120         NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


which  he  speaks  was  made  in  November, 
1903;  since  then  our  stock  of  Homers  has 
been  increased. 

"It  was  our  pleasure  within  the  last 
two  weeks  to  visit  the  home  plant  of  the 
Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co.,  at  Melrose 
Mass.  We  were  beautifully  entertained 
by  Mr.  Elmer  C.  Rice  and  his  family. 
The  buildings  at  the  home  plant  are  by 
far  the  best  that  we  have  ever  seen  for 
squab  growing.  Each  building  is  con- 
structed for  the  best  possible  light,  air, 
and  sanitary  conditions.  Those  who  may 
be  interested  in  squab  growing  will  find 
it  to  their  profit  to  communicate  with 
Mr.  Rice  at  Boston  for  the  printed  mat- 
ter which  gives  a  full  description  of  his 
plant  and  methods  of  doing  business. 

"We  saw  at  this  plant  12,000  full-grown, 
well-matured  Homing  Pigeons  ready  for 
distribution  for  growing  squabs.  In  all 
our  experience  we  have  never  seen  a  bet- 
ter lot  than  these.  They  are  large,  vig- 
orous, full-breasted,  broad-shouldered 
specimens  such  as  one  would  select  for 
producing  squabs  of  the  best  character. 
There  are  Blues,  Blue  Checks,  Silvers, 
Reds,  and  mixed  colors  such  as  would 
naturally  be  produced  through  the  cross 
mating  of  any  of  these  varieties.  While 
we  were  there  Mr.  Rice  shipped  from 
the  plant  between  five  and  six  hundred 
birds,  all  of  which  are  sent  out  in  large 
roomy  baskets,  the  baskets  returnable  at 
the  shipper's  expense.  So  far  as  we  can 
calculate,  we  are  under  the  impression 
that  Mr.  Rice  is  doing  a  very  large  busi- 
ness. In  addition  to  this  we  carefully 
perused  a  number  of  letters  received  by 
Mr.  Rice  from  localities  as  far  West  as 
San  Francisco,  as  far  South  as  Florida, 
all  of  these  communications  speaking  in 
the  highest  terms  of  the  shipments  made 
to  them  by  Mr.  Rice." 

RUNTS  NOT  DESIRABLE.— From  the 
Farm  Journal. — "Our  remarks  in  the  Octo- 
ber issue  respecting  the  relative  merits  of 
large  and  small  birds  were  put  in  a  way 
to  be  easily  misunderstood. 

"By  large  birds  we  meant  runts  and 
that  class,  usually  found  only  in  the 
hands  of  fanciers  and  experts  in  pigeon 
breeding.  They  are  not  at  all  desirable 
for  squab  breeding. 

"Common  pigeons  are  not  hardy  and 
prolific  in  proportion  to  their  smallness. 
The  largest  of  these  should  be  selected 
for  breeding  always. 

"There  is  a  great  difference  in  the  size 
and  quality  of  what  are  called  common 
birds.  Where  they  are  chosen  as  the 
basis  of  a  squab  breeder's  business  a 
careful  selection  should  be  made. 

"Of  all  the  pure-bred  types,  we  know 
of  nothing  superior  or  equal  to  the  Hom- 
ers for  breeding  squabs.  They  are  hardy 
and  prolific  and  rear  large,  meaty  squabs. 
There  is  also  room  for  selection  in  Hom- 
ers, some  being  much  larger  than  others. 

"When  a  breeder  already  has  a  flock  of 


common    pigeons    he    can    greatly    improve 
it  by  the  infusion  of   Homer  blood," 

USEFUL,  MESSENGERS.— We  have  quite 
a  call  for  our  birds  from  physicians  hav- 
ing a  country  practice.  They  leave  two 
or  three  birds  at  a  patient's  house  to  be 
let  loose  when  the  doctor's  services  are 
needed.  In  cases  of  expected  confinement 
at  a  distance  of  several  miles  from  the 
doctor's  home,  our  birds  are  extremely 
useful.  We  earnestly  advise  country  phy- 
sicians with  a  wide  territory  to  cover  to 
look  into  this  matter  and  communicate 
with  us.  It  will  be  money  in  their 
pockets. 

DEMAND  IN  COLORADO.— We  have 
had  the  same  experience  with  the  Western 
trade  as  the  following-  writer  in  the 
Western  Poultry  World,  of  course 
excepting  California,  which  is  one  of 
the  best  squab  markets  in  the  coun- 
try. What  he  says  is  conservative  and 
sensible  and  bears  out  what  we  have  al- 
ways maintained,  that  wherever  there  are 
men  and  women  who  are  good  eaters, 
there  squabs  will  be  eaten.  If  you  live 
in  a  town  where  a  squab  never  was  seen, 
but  where  there  are  people  who  set  a 
good  table,  to  them  you  certainly  can  sell 
squabs: 

"Having  been  asked  by  your  editor  to 
write  an  article  on  pigeons  or  squab  rais- 
ing, and  also  having  said  I  would,  I 
commence  by  stating  a  few  facts  which 
I  have  gained  from  both  practical  experi- 
ence and  inquiries  from  Eastern  breeders. 
In  the  first  place,  I  want  to  say  that  lit- 
tle is  known  of  this  industry  in  the  West, 
and  in  fact  it  has  not  been  known  in  the 
East  until  about  ten  years  ago,  when 
they  began  to  take  it  up  about  the  same 
as  the  Western  people  are  doing  now. 
Many  got  discouraged  at  finding  it  was 
not  a  get-rich-quick  scheme. 

"I  am  constantly  having  letters  from 
different  parts  of  the  country  asking  me 
if  squab  raising  pays,  and  saying  that 
from  inquiries  they  have  made  at  meat 
markets  and  commission  merchants,  they 
are  told  that  there  is  no  demand  lor 
them.  Of  course  there  is  not  at  the  present 
time,  for  if  there  was  they  could  not 
get  them.  No  man  can  sell  what  he  has 
not  got.  I  once  went  to  a  gentleman 
and  told  him  my  plan  of  starting  a  squab 
farm,  and  he  in  turn  went  to  his  meat 
market  and  asked  him  what  he  thought 
of  it,  and  he  said  I  was  either  lazy  or 
crazy.  Now  this  man  knew  absolutely 
nothing  of  squabs,  and  never  had  any 
in  his  store,  and,  consequently,  never 
had  any  calls  for  them.  I  dare  say  that 
if  one  were  to  go  to  every  market  in  tfie 
city  they  would  tell  you  the  same  thing, 
and  nine  out  of  every  ten  people  would 
tell  you  they  had  never  eaten  a  squab  in 
their  lives;  still  I  have  people — come 
right  to  my  door— who  come  a  good  dis- 
tance out  of  their  way  and  want  to  buy 


SUPPLEMENT 


121 


squabs  of  me,  The  reason  hotels  and 
restaurants  do  not  continually  have  them 
on  their  bill  of  fare  is  because  they  cannot 
be  supplied  at  all  times.  Today  they 
can  get  perhaps  a  dozen,  and  tomorrow, 
if  they  wish  any,  they  cannot  get  them, 
and  even  then  they  are  obliged  to  take 
common  squabs  and  not  Homers.  As 
to  the  demand,  I  want  to  say  right 
here,  that  I  know  one  concern  that  will 
contract  to  take  400  dozen  a  week  at 
good,  fair  prices.  Two  parties  that  I 
know  of  right  here  in  this  city  are  con- 
stantly in  receipt  of  letters  from  hotels 
and  clubs  in  Denver  wanting  to  buy 
squabs.  In  the  East,  where  there  are 
ten  squab  farms  to  one  in  the  West,  the 
prices  are  higher  than  here.  It  is  because 
of  the  demand." 

ELEGANT  PROFIT.— The  following  is 
from  Vick's  Magazine,  an  article  on  squab 
raising  by  a  practical  breeder: 

"Of  recent  years  the  demand  for  the 
toothsome  squab  has  been  so  great  that 
the  supply  does  not  come  up  to  the  de- 
mand. Where  years  ago  they  were  used 
only  for  invalids,  now  they  are  on  the 
bill  of  fare  in  almost  all  restaurants  and 
hotels.  They  command  good  prices  at 
all  seasons  and  an  elegant  profit  is  de- 
rived from  them  by  the  raisers.  It  used 
to  be  that  pigeons  could  not  thrive  when 
housed  up,  but  now  the  former  obstacles 
have  been  overcome  and  better  success  is 
made  where  they  are  confined  than  wnere 
they  have  their  freedom. 

"The  squab  business  if  conducted  prop- 
erly will  bring  in  a  large  percentage  of 
profit  considering  the  first  capital  in- 
vested. Only  a  few  hundred  dollars  are 
required  to  start  where  such  a  sum  would 
be  nothing  to  commence  in  such  a  busi- 
ness as  stock  keeping,  etc.,  and  yet  with 
a  few  hundred  pairs  of  pigeons  anyone 
with  a  little  judgment  can  make  a  living 
for  himself  and  family.  Many  farmers' 
sons  could  make  nice  yearly  incomes  by 
stocking  a  part  of  their  barn  (not  used 
for  anything  else)  with  pigeons.  The 
risks  are  not-  so  great  as  with  chickens, 
but  the  birds  must  be  atended  to  and 
not  neglected. 

"With  chickens  one  must  not  only  feed 
the  old,  but  must  also  give  the  little  ones 
their  meals,  but  not  so  with  pigeon  breed- 
ing. You  feed  the  old  birds,  and  they 
feed  their  young.  One  person  can  feed 
a  thousand  pairs  of  birds  in  about  a 
quarter  hour,  the  rest  is  left  for  the  old 
ones  to  do.  The  little  birds  are  fed  from 
pre-digested  food  from  the  crops  of  their 
parents,  who  by  a  sort  of  pumping  force 
the  food  into  the  squabs'  mouths.  It 
takes  no  longer  time  for  a  person  to  feed 
a  lot  of  birds  with  young  than  it  does 
without  young. 

"After  the  squabs  are  four  to  five 
weeks  old  they  are  ready  for  market.  It 
costs  but  one  and  one-half  cents  per  pair 
for  feeding  birds  a  week  and  their  young 
also,  so  with  the  prices  received  for  the 


squabs,  which  is  forty  cents  per  pair  in 
summer  to  eighty  cents  per  pair  in  the 
winter,  one  can  imagine  the  percentage 
of  profit. 

"Squabs  of  the  largest  size  demand  the 
highest  market  prices,  so  it  pays  to  com- 
mence right  by  buying  only  good  large 
stock.  The  amount  of  labor  required  is 
almost  nothing,  in .  fact  unless  very  large 
numbers  are  kept,  one  will  have  only  a 
few  hours'  work  daily.  The  writer  has 
nearly  2,000,  and  it  takes  only  fifteen  min- 
utes to  feed  and  half  an  hour  to  give 
fresh  water.  Of  course  it  takes  a  day 
or  two  a  week  for  killing  young  ones, 
and  a  day  or  two  each  month  for  clean- 
ing buildings,  then  the  work  is  about 
done.  One  person  can  attend  1,000  pairs 
nicely  and  have  ample  time  to  do  other 
work  around  a  place.  The  writer  finds 
it  a  snap  to  other  ocupations  and  one  is 
his  own  boss  and  can  go  or  come  when 
he  pleases.  It  is  the  business  for  a  young 
man;  he  can  advance  as  he  saves  money. 
There  are  some  who  commenced  on  a  few 
dollars  and  by  careful  saving  now  operate 
plants  of  thousands  of  pairs  of  birds. 

"The  larger  the  pigeon,  the  larger  the 
squab,  the  higher  the  price.  The  breed- 
ing houses  need  not  be  heated  artificially 
in  winter  as  the  birds  can  withstand  any 
temperature  and  in  cold  weather  sit  upon 
their  young  until  they  are  feathered  suf- 
ficiently to  stand  the  cold." 

ENLARGED  HIS  PLANT  WITH 
PROFITS.— Experience  of  a  Breeder  Who 
Made  it  Pay  From  the  Beginning.— 
In  Country  Life,  a  monthly  magazine, 
one  of  the  handsomest  and  highest-toned 
publications,  the  experience  of  a  gentle- 
man in  squab  raising  gives  the  following 
facts:  "Six  years  ago  I  did  not  have  a 
bird,  but  I  invested  fifty  dollars  in  pur- 
chasing twenty-five  pairs  of  extra-choice 
Homer  pigeons,  remodelling  a  poultry 
house  for  their  accommodation.  I  had 
kept  pigeons  for  pleasure  for  five  years, 
previously,  and  felt  that  I  knew  a  little 
about  them.  In  these  six  years  I  have 
not  invested  another  dollar  excepting  the 
dollars  the  birds  have  earned,  and 
my  present  establishment  of  five  houses 
and  fifteen  hundred  pigeons,  which  has 
cost  me  two  thousand  dollars,  is  all  paid 
for.  In  addition,  for  the  last  three  years, 
I  have  paid  out  from  five  to  seven  dol- 
lars each  week  for  the  wages  of  a  helper, 
to  dress  the  squabs  and  clean  the  houses, 
for  my  regular  business  would  not  permit 
me  to  attend  to  these  duties  myself. 

"The  concensus  of  opinion  of  all  ex- 
perienced squab  breeders  stamps  the 
Homer  as  the  best  pigeon  for  this  pur- 
pose. This  variety  is  strong  and  vigor- 
ous; a  hearty  feeder  and  good  worker; 
bright-eyed,  alert  and  active;  stocky,  sym- 
metrical and  full-breasted,  which  counts 
so  much  in  squabs.  They  are  also  pro- 
lific, and  their  squabs  are  full-feathered 
and  fit  for  market  in  four  weeks. 

"I    was    very    fortunate    in    getting    my 


122          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


first  twenty-five  pairs  of  birds.  These 
were  Homers,  full-blooded,  and  had  es- 
tablished records  for  flying,  having  taken 
first  honors  in  several  contests. 

"They  not  only  averaged  me  seven  and 
one-half  pairs  of  squabs  a  year,  but. 
stamped  their  vitality  on  the  birds  I  have 
selected  from  their  young. 

"As  my  profits  accrued  I  purchased 
straight  Homer  stock,  picking  from  the 
best  near-by  breeders,  as  well  as  those 
of  established  reputation  at  a  distance. 

"I  always  put  a  lot  of  new  birds  in  a 
clean  coop  by  themselves,  give  generous 
supply  of  feed  and  water,  and  have 
plenty  of  nesting  materials  in  the  coop, 
and  if  they  have  come  from  a  distance 
put  a  good  poultry  powder  in  their  feed 
for  the  first  meal,  and  let  them  alone 
for  a  few  days.  If  they  are  strong, 
healthy  birds  they  ought  soon  to  begin 
to  carry  materials  and  build  nests. 
When  nest  building  is  fully  under  way 
I  transfer  each  mated  pair  to  permanent 
breeding  quarters.  When  I  find  a  pair 
of  birds  mated,  I  call  my  assistant  and 
tell  him  which  bird  to  keep  his  eyes  on, 
and  not  to  lose  sight  of  it  a  single  in- 
stant. At  the  same  time  I  note  the  other 
bird  and  catch  it.  I  pass  the  caught  bird 
to  the  assistant.  He  points  out  the  other 
bird  and  it  is  soon  caught.  I  band  all 
purchases  as  well  as  those  I  raise. 

"My  weekly  expense  for  feeding  my 
flock  of  fifteen  hundred  pigeons  during 
the  month  of  December,  1903,  was  eigh- 
teen dollars  and  thirty  cents  for  the  fol- 
lowing: Three  hundred  pounds  of  cracked 
corn,  three  bushels  each  of  wheat,  peas 
and  kaffir  corn,  one  and  one-half  bushels 
of  millet,  one  bushel  of  hemp  and  half  a 
bushel  of  cracked  rice.  The  rice  I  do  not 
feed  regularly,  but  give  when  the  birds' 
bowels  are  loose,  for  which  condition  it 
is  an  excellent  corrective.  Feed  is  now 
much  higher  than  last  year. 

"Pigeon-keeping  for  squabs  may  fitly 
be  termed  a  twentieth-century  industry, 
for  only  during  the  last  five  years  has  it 
by  its  rapid  development  attained  to  the 
dignity  of  a  special  business.  The  busi- 
ness will  surely  still  more  increase  dur- 
ing the  firsi  decade  of  this  century.  The 
price  of  squabs  has  been  strongly  main- 
tained during  the  five  years  just  passed, 
notwithstanding  the  marvelous  increase  in 
the  business.  The  business  furnishes 
a  way  by  which  either  men  or  women 
(for  many  of  the  latter  have  successfuliy 
taken  up  squab  raising)  can  embark  in 
an  enterprise  which  does  not  call  for  se- 
vere bodily  exertion  and  which  if  intelli- 
gently managed  will  yield  good  dividends." 

SQUAB-RAISING  ON  THE  FARM.— 
Pigeons  Kept  in  the  Upper  Part  of  Duck 
and  Poultry  Houses. — The  following  is  from 
an  article  in  the  Country  Gentleman,  en- 
titled "A  Combination  Plant,  Fruit,  Bees, 
Fowls  and  Squabs": 

"For  growing  squabs  some  have  sepa- 
rate houses,  some  use  the  lofts  of  old 


barns,  and  many  are  so  constructing 
their  poultry  buildings  as  to  have  quar- 
ters for  growing  squabs  in  the  second 
story  of  the  poultry  houses.  This  is 
gained  by  laying  a  flat  roof  on  top  of 
the  poultry  house,  on  top  of  this  a  double 
thickness  of  tar  paper  well  coated  with 
hot  tar,  with  a  board  floor  laid  over  it. 
This  provides  the  floor  for  the  pigeon 
house,  the  roof  for  the  poultry  house, 
and  makes  it  absolutely  vermin  proof 
both  ways.  A  large  duck  grower  of  our 
acquaintance  has  squab  houses  of  this 
character  built  over  his  duck  brooder 
houses  and  his  poultry  houses.  Several 
thousand  pairs  of  breeding  pigeons  are 
kept  in  this  way,  with  a  hanging  outdoor 
flying  aviary  for  the  pigeons.  When  it 
has  been  successful  on  so  large  a  scale, 
smaller  growers  need  not  hesitate  in 
adopting  such  a  plan. 

"Of  course  cleanliness,  care  and  sani- 
tary conditions  about  the  plant  are  im- 
perative. The  most  successful  squab 
growers  do  not  scatter  sand  or  dirt  of 
any  kind  on  the  floor  or  in  nest  boxes. 
Neither  do  they  use  anything  but  straw 
for  the  birds  to  build  their  nests.  The 
droppings  are  all  thoroughly  scraped  up 
from  the  board  floor,  from  the  nest  boxes 
and  under  the  perches  once  or  twice  "  a 
week  with  a  hoe,  and  stored  away  in 
bags  and  sold  at  50  to  60  cents  per  bushel. 
They  are  used  by  tanners  in  making  tne 
very  best  grades  of  leather.  These  drop- 
pings are  of  no  value  when  mixed  with 
tobacco  stems,  shavings,  sawdust  or 
sand.  Grain  or  feed  of  any  kind  if  mixed 
in  with  them  will  not  injure  their  value, 
nor  will  some  little  straw  or  feathers 
count  much  against  their  value.  Buy  a 
good  sharp  hoe;  floors  constructed  in  this 
way  can  be  thoroughly  cleaned  by  scrap- 
ing up  once  or  twice  a  week,  and  in  this 
way  the  sanitary  conditions  will  be  of  the 
very  best. 

"Those  who  do  not  care  to  dispose  of 
the  droppings  in  this  way  in  some  in- 
stances spread  from  six  to  eight  inches 
of  soil  from  their  land  over  the  floor  of 
the  squab  house.  This  is  allowed  to  re- 
main from  three  to  six  months.  Usually 
at  the  end  of  the  moulting  season  all  the 
nest  boxes  and  the  whole  house  is  thor- 
oughly cleaned  out  and  the  entire  con- 
tents of  same  dumped  on  the  floor, 
scraped  and  hauled  away  and  scattered 
over  the  land.  This  makes  an  excellent 
fertilizer.  We  know  of  one  instance 
where  a  large  number  of  squabs  are  kept 
in  this  way,  and  the  house  is  cleaned  but 
twice  a  year.  In  the  spring  all  the  clean- 
ings from  the  house  are  hauled  out  and 
spread  over  the  land  for  the  growing  of 
summer  crops.  After  the  fall  moult,  the 
place  is  thoroughly  cleaned  up  for  win- 
ter, the  cleanings  of  the  house  are 
stored  away  in  a  dry  place  and  rp+ain^d 
until  spring.  Many  persons  would  call 
this  a  filthy,  unhealthful  way  to  keep  a 
squab  house,  but  some  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful breeders  follow  this  plan.  The 


SUPPLEMENT 


123 


presence  of  the  five  or  six  inches  of  dry 
soil  on  the  floor  keeps  it  in  good  condi- 
tion throughout  the  season.  The  cloud 
of  dust  that  is  raised  at  times  by  the 
pigeons'  flapping  their  wings  and  flying 
about  is  almost  a  certain  guarantee 
against  insect  attack.  However,  we  do 
not  advise  this  method.  We  simply  give 
the  facts  as  we  have  seen  them. 

"The  only  limit  to  ths  extent  of  such  a 
plant  is  the  ability  of  those  who  possess 
it  properly  to  care  for  and  manage  all 
its  branches  at  a  profit.  Where  there  is 
a  family  of  boys  and  girls  it  might  be 
well  to  engage  the  attention  of  all  in 
growing  these  several  kinds  of  products, 
and  to  lend  encouragement  to  each  by 
giving  him  a  share  of  the  profits.  Scat- 
tered all  over  the  country  are  thousands 
of  families  in  country  places  continually 
worrying  and  wondering  why  they  cannot 
keep  their  children  at  home.  The 
real  reason  so  many  of  the  young  people 
leave  the  farm  is  that  they  are  compelled 
to  work  continually  and  never  receive 
any  portion  of  the  income  for  their 
labor.  If  the  parents  would  allow  their 
growing  families  to  make  an  equal  sum 
of  money  or  in  proportion  to  what  they 
can  make  by  leaving  home,  there  would 
be  far  less  complaint  on  this  score.  All 
children  wish  to  have  the  privilege  of 
earning  a  few  dollars  that  they  may  call 
their  own." 

The  following  paragraph  is  from  the 
same  paper  in  its  report  of  the  New 
York  pigeon  show,  January,  1904: 

"There  seems  to  be  a  depression  in  the 
sale  of  high-class  pigeons.  Well-favored 
specimens  of  the  highest  character  still 
sell  at  top  prices,  but  the  absence  of  any 
commercial  value  for  a  large  number  of 
pigeons  that  are  grown  detracts  from 
the  numerous  sales  that  their  producers 
might  have.  If  producers  of  the  hun- 
dreds of  varieties  of  beautiful  pigeons 
would  turn  into  the  market  as  squabs  the 
greater  part  of  all  their  product  that  was 
not  valuable  for  the  exhibition  room, 
greater  returns  would  come  for '  those 
which  were  saved  for  exhibition  purposes. 
There  is  a  grand  stride  forward  in  grow- 
ing squabs.  The  combination  of  poultry- 
growing  with  squab-growing  works  well, 
and  is  being  adopted  by  so  many  small 
farmers  as  to  create  an  unusual  demand 
for  all  grades  of  pigeons  that  are  good  for 
this  purpose. 

"It  is  well  for  those  who  go  into  the 
squab  business  to  remember  that  the 
price  is  graded  by  size  and  quality.  Dur- 
ing winter  squabs  that  would  average  8 
or  9  pounds  to  the  dozen  have  sold  at 
retail  in  the  New  York  market  at  from 
35  to  40  cents  each,  while  those  which 
averaged  two  or  three  pounds  less  to  the 
dozen  sold  at  from  12  1-2  to  20  cents.  It 
takes  quite  as  much  time  and  as  much 
care  and  food  to  produce  the  small  speci- 
mens that  bring  the  lower  prices  as  it 
does  to  produce  the  higher  grades  wh'ch 
bring  the  better  prices.  People  are  be- 


ginning to  find  this  out,  and  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  knowledge,  are  looking 
about  for  the  best  quality  of  pigeons  to 
produce  the  best  market  squabs." 

SQUAB  PIN-MONEY.— The  following 
paragraph  appeared  in  the  January,  1901, 
issue  of  the  Designer,  a  monthly  maga- 
zine for  women  published  by  the  But- 
terick  Publishing  Company  of  New  York 
City : 

"A  young  woman  of  my  acquaintance 
has  kept  herself  supplied  with  hats,  boots 
and  gloves  during  the  past  year  by  sell- 
ing the  squabs  of  six  pairs  of  Homer 
pigeons.  They  require  very  little  care, 
and  the  young  are  ready  for  market  when 
four  weeks  old.  My  friend  is  so  well 
pleased  with  her  success  that  she  has 
added  seven  pairs  to  her  stock,  and  confi- 
dently expects  to  dress  herself  completely 
on  the  sum  derived  from  the  sale  of  her 
squabs. — M.  P." 

THEY  FLEW  HOME.— A  dispatch  from 
Paris,  printed  by  the  Baltimore  Sun,  says: 
"A  man  named  Maraud  complained  to 
M.  Brunet,  Police  Commissary  for  one  of 
the  districts  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Seine,  that  he  had  been  robbed  of  six 
valuable  carrier  pigeons  and  said  that  one 
of  his  friends  had  seen  them  at  the  house 
of  another  man. 

"The  magistrate  went  to  the  place  in- 
dicated and  there  saw  some  birds.  'How 
did  you  come  by  them?'  he  asked  of  the 
man.  'Oh,  I  bought  them  months  ago,' 
was  the  reply. 

"  'Well,  bring  them  to  my  office,'  said 
M.  Brunet.  There  he  had  a  wax  seal  at- 
tached to  each  bird's  leg  and  the  birds 
liberated. 

"They  flew  back  to  Meraud's  house  and 
an  hour  later  the  thief  was  on  his  way  to 
the  police  depot  in  the  black  maria." 

SQUAB  INDUSTRY'S  GREAT  GROWTH. 
— Address  Delivered  Before  the  New  Jer 
sey  State  Board  of  Agriculture. — Years 
ago  when  poultry  and  egg  pro- 
duction was  being  first  advocated  exten- 
sively, there  were  many  fears  expressed 
that  the  business  would  be  overdone,  that 
chickens  and  eggs  would  come  -to  be  com- 
mon and  low  priced,  and  the  fear  that 
there  would  be  no  money  in  the  business 
no  doubt  kept  many  out  of  it.  Neverthe- 
less, more  and  more  have  gone  into 
poultry  and  eggs  year  after  year,  and 
millions  of  dollars'  worth  of  both  are 
marketed  yearly.  Whole  communities, 
like  Petaluma,  California,  are  given  up  to 
poultry  and  eggs.  Eggs  got  as  high  as 
sixty  cents  a  dozen  in  the  large  cities 
the  past  winter  (1904). 

Some  peop'e  not  Informed  as  to  squabs 
think  that  if  many  go  into  squab  raising 
the  prices  are  groins:  to  drop  until  there 
is  no  profit  in  the  business.  On  the  con- 
trary, prices  for  sauabs  have  been  in- 
creasing every  year  here  in  the  East,  and 
they  are  going  to  increase  in  the  West  in 
the  years  to  come.  Consumers  who  have 


124 


NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


read  our  advertising  all  over  the  country 
are  eating  squabs  who  never  ate  them 
before,  and  the  effect  of  our  advertising 
on  the  general  squab  market  everywhere 
has  been  to  boost  prices.  Well-to-do 
people  who  are  led  to  get  into  the  habit 
of  having  squabs  on  their  tables  keep  on 
ordering  them,  and  tell  others,  and  thus 
the  market  grows. 

If  all  the  Homer  breeders  we  have  sold 
during  the  years  we  have  been  in  busi- 
ness were  concentrated  in  one  plant,  we 
could  sell  the  entire  squab  output  of 
that  one  plant  to  any  one  of  a  hundred 
commission  men  in  one  of  the  large 
cities. 

New  Jersey  is  doing  well  with  squabs. 
Other  states,  notably  California,  Iowa, 
Wisconsin,  Michigan  and  Masachusetts 
are  producing  a  great  many.  Just  what 
is  being  accomplished  in  New  Jersey  comes 
as  a  surprise  to  people  who  look  upon  this 
business  as  something  new  and  untried. 
At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  New  Jersey 
State  Board  of  Agriculture  in  January, 
1904,  an  address  was  given  by  Mr.  G.  L. 
Gillingham  on  squab  raising,  in  the  course 
of  which  he  said: 

"The  production  of  squabs  for  the  mar- 
kets of  our  large  cities  is  an  industry 
that  is  reaching  considerable  proportions 
in  this  state.  And,  although  it  is  growing 
yearly,  yet  the  prices  seem  to  be  advanc- 
ing; showing  that  there  is  an  unlimited 
demand. 

"The  great  scarcity  of  game  all  over 
our  country  compels  the  keepers  of  first- 
class  hotels  and  restaurants  to  look  for 
something  to  take  its  place,  and  at  the 
same  time  be  sure  of  a  supply  at  all  sea- 
sons of  the  year.  Therefore  they  have 
hit  upon  the  squab  to  fill  this  void,  and 
now  when  one  calls  for  quail  on  toast,  or 
order  of  a  similar  nature,  it  will  very  often 
be  found  that  the  quail  was  raised  in  a 
pigeon  loft,  and  is  much  younger,  more 
tender  and  juicy  than  the  quail  would  have 
been,  could,  it  have  been  secured. 

"This  is  a  business  that  can  be  carried 
on  in  connection  with  poultry  raising, 
and  is  one  that  may  be  conducted  upon 
village  lots  by  women  and  young  per- 
sons, if  need  be,  and  by  those  whose  other 
business  takes  their  attention  during  the 
middle  portions  of  the  day,  as  the  labor 
connected  with  it  is  not  heavy.  It  is. 
particularly  adapted  to  women  who  wish 
to  add  something  to  their  income.  In 
fact,  women  are  more  apt  to  succeed  in 
it  than  most  men,  as  it  requires  close 
attention  to  the  little  things,  as  it  is  the 
many  little  things  that  go  to  make  up 
the  final  profits  at  the  end;  as  women 
are  generally  more  patient  and  thorough 
with  small  details  they  will  be  more  suc- 
cessful. 

"The  extent  to  which  this  business  is 
conducted  in  some  parts  of  our  state  may 
be  shown  by  stating  that  in  one  town 
in  Burlington  County  of  about  3,000 
inhabitants,  the  purchase  of  one  dealer 
the  past  year  was  56,582  squabs,  for  which 


he  paid  $16,400;  while  another  dealer  bought 
perhaps  a  little  over  half  as  many  more, 
bringing  the  aggregate  to  86,000  squabs, 
for  which  the  people  of  that  town  re- 
ceived nearly  $25,000;  while  another  single 
grower  in  the  same  country  shipped  from 
his  own  lofts  between  13,000  and  14,000 
birds. 

"The  cost  of  feed  and  care  for  a  work- 
ing loft  of  pigeons  is  about  $1  per  pair 
per  year  (manure  not  sold).  Some  put  it 
much  lower,  but  at  the  present  prices  of 
feed,  if  proper  care  is  given,  we  should 
not  figure  not  much  lower  than  $1.  A  good 
pair  of  birds  will  produce  from  seven  to 
ten  pair  of  squabs  per  year;  generally  an 
average  of  not  over  eight  pair.  The 
prices  have  ranged  the  past  year  from 
25  cents  for  the  poorest,  to  as  high  as  75, 
80  and  90  cents  for  the  best,  putting  the 
number  raised  at  the  lowest  (seven  pairs) 
and  the  average  price  at  40  cents,  we 
have  $2.80  for  the  $1  invested  yearly  after 
the  first  cost  of  investment  for  build- 
ings, etc.,  which  need  not  be  expensive, 
according  to  the  taste  and  means  of  the 
builders  and  the  amount  of  capital  he 
wishes  to  put  into  it.  The  houses  should 
always  be  placed  where  the  drainage  is 
good,  preferably  upon  a  dry  knoll,  facing 
the  south  or  southeast.  Some  paying  lofts 
have  been  made  by  fitting  Up  unused 
wagon  house  or  wood  house  lofts,  or  over 
hen  houses.  Other  houses  have  been  con- 
structed for  poultry  on  the  ground  floor 
and  the  story  above  for  pigeons.  In  this 
case  great  care  must  be  exercised  to  have 
the  floor  well  laid  with  planed  and  grooved 
flooring,  to  keep  vermin  from  passing  up 
from  the  poultry. 

"Very  large  flocks  should  not  be  kept 
in  one  room.  From  50  to  100  pair  is 
enough  to  keep  together  for  the  best  re- 
sults, preferably  the  former.  A  room 
10x12  is  ample  for  50  pair  of  working 
birds.  A  house  may  be  built  of  any 
desired  length,  12  feet  wide  and  divided 
into  apartments  of  the  above  size  by  wire 
partitions  with  doors  hung  on  spring 
hinges,  to  facilitate  passing  through  in 
feeding. 

"These  houses  should  have  windows  on 
the  south,  of  sufficient  size  to  afford 
ample  light  in  all  parts  of  the  house  and 
no  more,  as  too  much  glass  makes  the 
house  too  cold  on  the  winter  nights. 

"As  each  pair  require  two  nests,  as  they 
.  are  generally  sitting  in  one  while  raising 
young  in  the  other,  there  should  be  twice 
as  many  nests  as  pair  of  birds,  with  eigh- 
teen to  twenty  to  spare,  that  they  may 
take  their  choice. 

The  period  of  incubation  is  eighteen 
days,  the  hen  bird  sitting  on  the  eggs, 
excepting  about  four  hours  each  day,  when 
the  male  takes  her  place,  while  she  is 
feeding  and  resting. 

"During  incubation  a  substance  forms 
in  the  crop  of  both  birds,  known  as  pigeon 
milk  or  curd,  on  which  the  young  are 
fed  for  the  first  five  or  six  days,  until 
they  are  old  enough  to  digest  the  grain, 


SUPPLEMENT 


125 


which  is  carried  to  them  in  the  crop  of 
the  old  birds,  and  ejected  from  their 
mouths  to  the  mouth  of  the  young  bird 
by  the  same  process  as  the  pigeon  milk 
is  fed  in  the  first  place.  Hence  it  is  im- 
portant that  the  proper  feed  be  given, 
which  should  consist  of  a  variety  of  grain 
and  seeds,  the  larger  the  variety,  the 
better.  These  should  consist  of  cracked 
corn,  rather  coarse  (preferably  about  three 
or  four  pieces,  from  a  single  kernel), 
with  the  tine  sifted  out.  This  should  be 
kept  before  them  in  troughs  or  hoppers, 
so  constructed  that  they  cannot  throw  it 
out  and  waste  it,  which  they  will  fre- 
quently do  in  search  of  other  grains  of 
which  they  are  more  fond.  The  other 
seeds  should'  consist  of  whole  corn,  Can- 
ada peas,  Kaffir  corn,  hulled  oats,  millet 
and  hempseed.  These  should  be  fed  on  the 
floor  twice  daily,  just  what  they  will  clean 
up  quickly,  feeding  the  hempseed  but 
twice  or  three  times  per  week,  except 
in  the  moulting  season,  when  a  small 
quantity  may  be  fed  each  day,  as  hemp- 
seed  is  very  fattening,  and  when 
fed  in  excess  bad  results  may  fol- 
low. Do  not  feed  wheat  too  liberally, 
and  always  mixed  with  other  seeds,  using 
the  hard,  red  wheat  and  never  new  wheat, 
as  it  has  a  tendency  to  loosen  the  bowels 
of  the  young  birds  with  sometimes  fatal 
results.  In  connection  with  the  feeds, 
the  birds  should  be  furnished  with  ground 
oyster  shell  for  grit,  also  a  liberal  sup- 
ply of  salt  and  small  bits  of  charcoal 
and  gravel.  The  salt  is  necessary  to  keep 
them  in  good  health.  These  substances 
may  be  kept  in  small  boxes  around  the 
house  where  the  birds  can  have  free  access 
to  them. 

"A  generous  supply  of  pure  water 
should  be  kept  before  them  at  all  times 
near  the  feeding  trough,  and  should  be 
supplied  each  morning  before  feeding, 
that  the  old  birds  may  have  access  to  it 
immediately  after  feeding,  before  taking 
the  feed  to  their  young. 

"In  stocking  the  houses,  always  avoid 
using  common  breeders,  as  the  results 
will  be  disappointing.  They  are  not  pro- 
lific and  are  more  liable  to  produce  dark 
squabs,  which  always  bring  the  lowest 
price  in  market,  and  do  not  feed  the 
young  as  well  as  the  full  bloods.  The 
best  all-round  bird  for  squab  raising  is 
the  straight  Homer,  as  they  are  the  most 
active,  good  workers,  quiet  disposition, 
and  the  best  of  feeders. 

"The  Runt  is  the  largest  of  pigeons, 
but  a  very  slow  worker,  seldom  producing 
more  than  four  pairs  of  squabs  per  year. 
They  make  a  good  cross  with  Homer  and 
Dragoon,  but  even  then  will  not  produce 
as  many  birds  as  either  of  the  others 
alone. 

"The  squabs  are  dressed  for  market 
once  a  week,  on  regular  shipping  days. 
They  are  dressed  just  before  they  are 
large  enough  to  leave  the  nests,  and  when 
they  are  full-feathered,  and  should  weigh 
at  this  time  eight  pounds  per  dozen,  this 


size  commanding  the  highest  price,  the 
prices  falling  off  very  fast,  as  the  size 
drops  from  this  weight.  The  squabs 
should  be  dressed  with  empty  crops.  They 
may  be  caught  in  the  early  morning  be- 
fore feeding,  and  dressed,  or  caught  the 
evening  betore,  after  the  old  biras  have 
fed  them  for  the  night,  and  kept  in  ham- 
pers until  morning,  when  their  crops  will 
be  just  in  the  right  condition. 

"After  the  young  birds  are  two  or  three 
weeks  old,  the  old  birds  build  another 
nest  and  begin  to  sit  again,  the  male  bird 
taking  most  of  the  care  of  the  young  un- 
til they  are  ready  to  dress;  hence  the  im- 
portance of  supplying  two  nesls  for  each 
pair.  Thus  a  good  pair  of  working  birds 
have  a  pair  of  young  and  a  pair  of  eggs 
a  large  portion  of  the  time. 

"During  the  summer  months  the  birds 
should  be  furnished  with  a  shallow  tub  of 
water  in  which  to  take  a  bath,  two  or 
three  times  par  week,  which  will  help 
them  to  keep  free  of  vermin.  These  tubs 
should  be  emptied  after  they  have  bathed, 
as  they  should  not  be  allowed  to  drink 
the  water  in  which  they  have  bathed. 

"With  good  care,  properly  constructed 
houses,  wholesome  food,  never  sour  or 
tainted,  very  little  disease  should  be  en- 
countered. Prevention  is  better  and  more 
easily  administered  than  cure.  Some  of 
these  are  dry  houses,  pure  water,  regu- 
larity in  feeding  and  cleanliness.  The 
water  buckets  should  ba  washed  out  fre- 
quently with  creoline  water,  mada  by 
adding  a  teaspoonful  of  creoline  to  one 
quart  of  water.  This  will  kill  any  dis- 
ease germs  that  may  be  present,  and  is 
a  good  disinfectant. 

"Give  good  care,  not  neglecting  the 
small  things,  as  it  is  the  multitude  of 
these  wherein  the  profit  lies. 

"The  demand  for  squabs  is  constantly 
increasing  and  any  one  entering  into  this 
business  and  willing  to  give  it  the  atten- 
tion it  requires  will  always  find  a  profit 
on  the  right  side  of  the  ledger.  But  re- 
membar  this  profit  will  be  according  to 
the  care  and  intelligence  put  into  the 
business." 

NEW  YORK  MARKET.— The  following 
is  taken  from  the  New  York  World,  an 
article  on  squabs,  published  in  August, 
1904: 

Squab-Raising  as  a  Fine  Art.— Game 
Laws  Make  Propagation  of  this  Small  Bird 
a  Remunerative  Business, — Palates  Demand 
Substitute  for  Quail  and  Other  Morsels 
that  Statutes  Forbid.— Few  persons,  even 
among  the  devotees  of  late  suppers  in  New 
York's  hie-h-priced  restaurants,  In  look- 
ing over  their  elaborate  menus  and  select- 
ing, say,  a  squab  on  toast,  realize  what  a 
tremendous  industry  the  Broadway  taste 
for  a  large  cold  bottle  and  a  small  hot 
bird  has  developed  in  the  United  States  in 
recent  years. 

The  industry  may,  indeed,  be  considered 
in  itself  in  a  squab  state,  but  such  has  be- 
come the  after-theatre  demand  for  the 


126 


NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


tasty  little  birds  that  many  business  men 
have  turned  from  less  lucrative  pursuits 
to  devete  their  energies  to  their  raising. 

It  would  be  impossible  to  state  pre- 
cisely how  many  squabs  are.  annually- 
bred  in  the  United  States,  but  it  is  esti- 
mated that  hundreds  of  thousands  reach 
the  tables  and  tickle  the  palates  of  lux- 
ury-loving and  extravagant  people. 

The  best  of  judgment  in  regard  to  qual- 
ity and  quantity  of  feed  is  essential, 
cracked  corn  and  red  wheat  being  the 
staple  food.  Kaffir  corn,  Canada  peas, 
buckwheat  and  millet  comprises  about  20 
per  cent,  of  the  food  in  winter,  and  in  the 
summer  less  corn  but  more  wheat.  Grit 
and  salt  are  before  the  birds  always. 

At  the  age  of  four  weeks  the  squabs  are 
ready  for  market  and  are  deliciously  ten- 
der, as  they  have  never  learned  to  fly, 
and  their  muscles  have  not  had  the  hard- 
ening influence  of  exercise.  The  killers 
now  get  busy.  With  a  slip  noose  around 
the  feet,  and  wings  locked  on  the  back, 
the  squabs  are  suspended  from  a  rack. 
A  killing  knife  is  inserted  well  into  the 
mouth  and  a  quick,  deep  slash  made  at 
the  back  of  the  throat,  allowing  the  bird 
to  bleed  freely. 

An  expert  can  kill  and  rough  pick, about 
four  birds  before  they  get  cold.  The 
squabs  are  next  dropped  into  a  galvan- 
ized iron  tub,  through  which  a  constant 
stream  of  water  flows,  which  cools  the 
birds.  Then  a  small  hose  nozzle"  is  in- 
serted in  the  mouth  and  water  allowed  to 
fill  the  crop,  after  which  it  is  withdrawn 
and  a  quick  pressure  forces  everything 
out.  A  second  use  of  the  hose  thoroughly 
cleanses  the  crop.  Two  more  immersions 
in  iced  water  make  the  birds  ready  for 
local  shipment. 

In  the  Lenten  season  commission  houses 
buy  and  ice  thousands  of  dozens  of  squabs 
for  winter  trade.  That  is  also  the  time 
squab  raisers  select  and  save  the  best 
stock  for  breeders. 

Many  of  the  live  birds,  especially  the 
Homers  and  red  Carneaux,  cost  from  $2.50 
to  $6  per  pair. 

Prices  for  squab  in  New  York  City  run 
from  $4  per  dozen  in  the  early  season  to 
$5.50  and  $6  in  the  winter. 

TWO  YEARS'  EXPERIENCE  WITH 
OUR  BIRDS.— "Will  you  kindly  send  us 
price-list  and  such  other  printed  matter 
as  you  have  issued  within  the  past  year? 
You  will  remember  we  bought  six  pairs  of 
you  one  year  ago  last  July.  We  have 
about  124  now  and  are  disposing  of  all  the 
squabs  we  can  raise  at  three  dollars  per 
dozen.  All  of  our  birds  are  not  laying  yet 
but  will  soon  mature.  We  have  lost  sev- 
eral when  they  were  young  birds,  then  we 
had  some  stolen  (one  of  which  came  back). 
One  bird  had  a  peculiar  substance  form 
around  the  outside  under  the  bill.  Will 
you  tell  us  If  this  was  canker?  We  dis- 
posed of  the  bird  at  once.  We  did  not  try 
to  treat  it  at  all.  The  people  here  know 


very  little  about  fine  squab,  but  I  believe 
me  market  is  growing  better  right  along. 
Feed  is  much  higher  here  than  in  the 
East.  We  have  to  pay  $1.75  per  100  for 
cracked  corn,  $2.15  for  red  wheat,  $1.75  for 
Kaffir  corn  and  about  $5  for  hempseed,  so 
that  $3  per  dozen  does  not  bring  in  a  very 
large  profit.  Would  you  advise  our  raising 
the  price?  We  hope  to  send  you  another 
order  shortly.  We  have  not  tried  to  use 
the  manure  at  all.  We  have  had  no 
trouble  with  our  birds  as  to  vermin.  They 
seem  to  keep  entirely  free  from  it."— Mrs. 
H.  D.,  State  of  Washington. 

TO  MONTANA  IN  GOOD  ORDER.— "I 
received  the  crate  of  pigeons  yesterday. 
They  were  all  alive  and  in  good  health." — 
J.  P.,  Montana. 

FINDS  OUR  BIRDS  FAST  BREEDERS. 
— "On  Sept.  16,  1902,  I  ordered  six  pairs 
Extra  from  you  and  now  (Aug.  30,  1904) 
have  about  two  hundred  old  pigeons  and 
squabs  together,  and  will  want  to  begin 
shipping  a  few  before  long.  Wish  you 
would  please  give  me  the  names  of  a  lot 
of  desirable  squab  buyers  in  New  York  and 
other  nearby  cities.  Do  you  think  prices 
will  be  better  later  on  in  the  fall,  and 
which  is  the  best  way  to  ship  them,  dead 
or  alive?  Can  I  get  shipping  crates  al- 
ready made?  If  so,  where,  and  at  what 
price?  Thanking  you  in  advance  for  this 
information."— W.  E.  H.,  North  Carolina. 

HAD  NO  TROUBLE  RAISING  THEM.— 
"Last  spring,  in  April,  I  think,  we  bought 
twelve  pairs  Extra  for  thirty  dollars  of 
you.  At  present  we  have  eight-five  in  all, 
or  about  sixty  young  birds  that  we  have 
raised  ourselves.  We  would  not  think  of 
selling  them  as  we  have  had  very  good 
success  and  are  much  interested  in  the 
business,  but  through  sickness  I  lost  my 
former  position  in  this  village  and  have 
now  secured  a  permanent  one  in  Chicago, 
and  expect  to  move  there  in  a  few  weeks. 
Expect  to  locate  right  in  the  city  and  con- 
sequently will  have  no  facilities  for  keep- 
ing the  pigeons,  and  so  are  anxious  to 
sell.  The  birds  are  as  healthy  as  when  we 
received  them,  as  we  have  followed  •very 
carefully  the  rules  laid  down,  in  caring  for 
them,  and  have  never  seen  any  signs  cf 
disease  among  them.  Have  lost  only  com- 
paratively few,  and  those  were  small  ones 
which  were  neglected  by  mother  birds,  or 
by  some  accident.  Quite  a  large  number 
of  our  young  birds  have  mated  and  have 
bred  the  latter  part  of  the  winter."— R.  F. 
G.,  Michigan. 

GETTING  SIX  DOLLARS  A  DOZEN.- 
"Two  of  the  six  pairs  have  now  hatched 
out  three  squabs,  two  on  February  4th  and 
one  on  February  7th  (the  other  egg  evi- 
dently was  chilled  by  the  extreme  cold 
weather).  The  market  price  in  Newark  is 
six  dollars  a  dozen,  and  we  have  con- 
tracted to  sell  these  three  squabs  at  that 


SUPPLEMENT 


127 


price.  They  are  fat  and  very  satisfactory. 
We  are  very  much  encouraged  and  wish  to 
increase  our  flock."— F.  C.,  New  Jersey. 

THE;  TRUTH  ABOUT  THE  MARKETS. 

— "I  received  your  Manual  and  have  read 
it  through  very  carefully.  I  have  found 
that  it  tells  the  very  truth.  I  was  in 
Washington  Market  and  there  they  told  me 
just  the  same,  they  will  take  all  the 
squabs  I  can  give  them.  I  think  I  will 
give  you  an  order  next  month  for  48  pairs 
Homers  and  one  gross  nappies." — H.  T., 
New  York. 

ATTRACT  ADMIRATION  IN  CALIFOR- 
NIA.—"Birds  arrived  on  the  llth  safe  an-1 
in  first  class  condition  for  the  length  of 
their  trip.  I  am  well  satisfied  with  the 
birds  and  expect  to  give  you  an  order  for 
more  before  long.  Everyone  that  has  seen 
them  thinks  they  are  fine."— E.  J.,  Cali- 
fornia. 

OUR  METHODS  IN  SOUTH  AFRICA.— 
"Enclosed  find  fifty  cents  for  which  please 
send  me  a  copy  of  National  Standard 
Squab  Book.  Perhaps  it  may  interest  you 
to  know  that  this  is  to  assist  in  the  raising 
of  squabs  in  South  Africa."— L.  E.  D., 
Pennsylvania. 

YOUNGSTERS  ARE  BEAUTIES.— "I 
have  fifty  or  more  pure  Homers  from  the 
original  old  birds  purchased  from  your 
concern.  These  youngsters  are  beauties 
between  the  ages  of  six  months  and  one 
year."— B.  R.  D.,  Long  Island. 

IN  PERFECT  CONDITION.— "My 
mother  bought  one  dozen  pairs  of  your 
birds  a  year  ago  and  now  has  about  sixty 
in  flock.  They  have  been  well  cared  for 
and  are  in  perfect  condition."— T.  A.  B., 
Kentucky. 

A  NEWS-AGENT'S  SIDE  LINE.— "I 
have  been  doing  a  little  business  that  I 
did  not  have  time  to  tell  you  about  in  my 
last  letter.  I  have  boys  in  several  of  the 
towns  around  here  to  get  squabs  for  me 
and  I  have  made  arrangements  with  the 
above  firm  to  deliver  those  that  I  don't" 
sell  myself,  on  commission.  The  hotel  has 
an  order  for  150  per  week.  Besides  this 
order  I  sell  to  several  restaurants  and  let 
the  market  deliver  to  the  houses.  I  am  the 
only  one  here  who  buys  squabs  to  any  ex- 
tent, and  average  200  to  300  per  week.  I 
make  from  $5  to  $7.50  each  week  this  way, 
besides  what  I  make  on  the  train.  How  is 
that  for  a  news  agent  running  a  tram 
every  day  from  11  P.  M.  to  1.15  A.  M.  ?"— 
B.  D.,  Texas. 

HAS  OVERSOLD  HIS  SQUAB  CAPAC- 
ITY.—"Could  you  supply  me  with  two 
dozen  first-class  squabs  for  shipment  from 
Wooster  on  or  about  December  22?  I  have 
an  order  for  that  amount,  and  while  the 
birds  I  purchased  from  you  are  doing  fine, 


I  will  not  have  enough.  Have  orders  for 
breeders  and  squabs  enough  to  keep  the 
flock  working  overtime  until  spring,  at 
which  time  I  expect  to  enlarge  my  plant 
to  at  least  500  pairs.  I  could  of  course  fill 
this  small  order  from  nearby  markets,  but 
Homers  are  Homers,  and  I  don't  care  to 
depreciate  the  value  of  my  flock  by  ship- 
ping inferior  squabs." — C.  .L.  Z.,  Ohio. 

THE  MAN  HE  WORKS  FOR  IS  MAK- 
ING MONEY  WITH  OUR  BIRDS.— "I  see 
in  the  Poultry  Keeper  that  you  offer  a 
squab  book  free,  so  I  would  like  to  have 
one,  for  I  have  squabs  myself  and  I  would 
like  to  learn  how  to  raise  them.  I  am  only 
a  boy  and  I  am  working  for  Mr.  Fairbanks 
on  his  farm.  He  told  me  that  I  could 
write  to  you  and  ask  you  for  a  book.  I 
know  the  chicken  business  very  well,  but 
not  the  squab  business.  Mr.  Fairbanks 
bought  pigeons  from  you  last  year  (eighty 
pairs  Extra  shipped  August  4,  1902),  and  he 
is  doing  fine  with  them,  so  good-bye  and 
don't  forget  the  address.  That  penny  is 
for  a  stamp,  and  the  other  stamp  is  for  the 
letter."— W.  H.,  Missouri. 

A  LONG  SHIPMENT  IN  GOOD  ORDER. 
— "Your  two  letters  dated  January  27th 
were  received  yesterday,  February  1st.  I 
went  to  the  express  office  early  this  morn- 
ing and  found  the  pigeons  had  arrived  in 
the  night.  The  birds  are  all  alive  and  in 
fine  condition  but  two,  one  of  which  was 
bruised  and  I  fear  its  wing  is  broken.  I 
thank  you  for  the  extra  two  pairs  and  for 
the  crates.  I  have  a  fine  new  squab  house 
built  according  to  your  plans,  only  the  fly- 
ing pen  runs  up  to  the  top  of  the  roof, 
which  I  think  a  better  plan  for  this  damp 
climate.  I  may  send  for  one  or  two  dozen 
pairs  more  by  spring."— Mrs.  E.  N.,  State 
of  Washington. 

A  PERFECT  SHIPMENT  OF  HOMERS 
TO  FRANCE.— "The  pigeons  arrived  this 
day  in  perfect  condition,  but  I  am  sorry  to 
say  I  have  neither  the  nappies  nor  the 
bases.  I  duly  received  your  letter  of  De- 
cember 16th  which  I  answered  at  once.  I 
have  this  day  written  to  Puritan  Line  of 
steamship  asking  for  information  concern- 
ing the  non-arrival  of  the  nappies."— G. 
D.,  France  (Europe). 

DOING  WELL.— "The  pigeons  purchased 
of  you  last  fall  are  doing  well.  Am  in  im- 
mediate need  of  more  wooden  nappies." — 
F.  C.  J.,  Massachusetts. 

GOT  ONLY  TEN  CENTS  EACH  FOR 
SQUABS  BUT  MADE  MONEY.— "I  built 
two  rustic  seats  for  a  neighbor  for  three 
pairs  of  Homer  pigeons,  and  put  them  in  a 
pen  eight  by  eight  feet.  They  increased 
at  about  a  pair  of  squabs  a  month.  We 
turned  the  young  ones  out  as  soon  as  they 
were  able  to  fly.  We  soon  had  a  flock  of 
pigeons  of  about  fifty  or  seventy-five.  Sud- 
denly we  found  that  we  could  sell  the 


128          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


young  ones  for  ten  cents  apiece  and  the 
butcher  took  them  off  the  nest  for  us.  We 
killed  the  three  original  pairs  as  we  did 
not  want  any  in  coops.  I  built  a  pigeon 
house  sixteen  feet  high  and  ten  feet  square 
on  the  ground,  two  stories.  The  birds 
come  in  at  the  top  and  nest  where  they 
please.  I  took  up  a  homestead  seventy 
miles  north.  On  this  my  whole  family 
lived  for  most  of  the  time.  While  we  were 
away  from  this  place,  the  butcher  came 
regularly  and  took  away  the  squabs  and 
left  the  money  or  his  account  with  a 
neighbor.  We  never  kept  any  account  of 
the  profit  of  these  splendid  birds  except 
last  year,  when  the  profit  was  $34.50,  and 
the  feed  would  not  amount  to  a  dollar,  as 
they  fly  out  and  rustle  their  own  feed. 
My  wife  feeds  them  a  little  to  make  them 
friendly.  I  have  a  large  wagon  shed  and 
they  used  to  nest  in  this.  I  shot  some  of 
them  and  they  have  never  bothered  me 
there  now  for  two  years.  They  are  wise 
and  I  think  thy  can  talk.  As  a  compari- 
son of  profit  between  chickens  and  squabs, 
we  had  a  coop  of  chickens  that  required 
constant  care.  After  deducting  $19  for 
chicken  feed,  the  profit  on  them  was  $33. 
The  chicken  coop  and  corral  is  quite  a 
distance  from  the  pigeon  house  and  the 
pigeons  never  feed  with  them." — W.  S.  M., 
California. 

NEVER  LOST  A  BIRD  BY  SICKNESS. 
— "In  June,  1902,  I  got  twenty-four  pairs  of 
you,  paying  sixty  dollars  for  them.  I  have 
never  lost  a  bird  by  sickness.  I  killed  one. 
He  was  ailing  and  did  not  look  well,  so  I 
killed  him.  This  was  three  or  four  months 
after  I  got  the  birds.  Right  off  after  I 
got  them  I  raised  twenty-five  pairs,  then  I 
began  to  kill  squabs,  as  I  had  no  room.  I 
sold  the  first  lot  of  squabs  in  February, 
1903,  and  got  25  cents  apiece  at  first  (this 
was  much  too  low),  then  I  sold  for  30 
cents  apiece  until  May,  1903.  I  should  say 
I  sold  in  all  150  squabs  up  to  May  1.  From 
that  time  on  the  marketman  to  whom  I 
was  selling  refused  to  give  me  more  than 
18  cents  apiece,  so  I  rigged  up  a  new  place 
and  put  forty  pairs  in  there,  then  I  sold 
a  few  more.  Since  then  to  now  (November, 
1903)  have  sold  about  60  to  -75  squabs.  I 
have  sold  only  squabs,  but  the  other  day  I 
sold  six  pairs  of  breeders  for  two  dollars 
a  pair.  All  the  24  original  pairs  I  got  of 
you  have  keot  working.  I  have  three  or 
four  pairs  which  have  made  a  nest  almost 
every  month  since  I  have  had  them.  They 
had  eleven  nests,  others  four  or  five  nests 
a  pair.  I  have  eighty-eieht  pairs  of  breed- 
ers now.  I  have  erot  confluence  now  to  go 
ahead  and  am  going  to  start  a  large  plant 
in  the  country  and  will  buy  some  more 
birds  of  you." — H.  C.,  Massachusetts. 

A  YOUNG  WOMAN'S  SUCCESS.  — "A 
year  ago  last  July  I  received  from  you 
one-half  dozen  pairs  and  paid  you  $15.  I 
have  tried  to  take  good  care  of  them  and 
they  have  increased  till  now  I  have  some 


one  hundred  young  birds.  I  did  not  tiy  to 
sell  any  of  them  as  I  wanted  to  let  the 
flock  grow.  I  took  good  care  of  the  young 
birds  mating  and  so  there  are  not  any  of 
them  that  are  related  to  each  other  now 
that  are  breeding.  I  had  built  for  them  a 
good  warm  house  according  to  your  direc- 
tions and  they  have  done  very  well.  Some 
few  died  during  this  winter,  but  I  think 
they  were  crowded  and  so  the  older  one* 
would  push  the  little  fellows  out  of  the 
nest  and  they  froze  during  the  night." — 
Miss  E.  M.  C.,  Kansas. 

A  GOOD  HEALTHY  FLOCK.-"!  bought 
24  pairs  Extra  of  you  a  little  over  a  year 
ago.  I  now  have  besides  the  24  pairs  about 
40  pairs  of  mated  birds,  all  leg  banded. 
Also  I  have  about  one  hundred  young 
birds  and  all  but  about  thirty  of  these  will 
be  old  enough  to  mate  by  the  first  of  April. 
All  of  these  are  leg  banded  and  are  good 
healthy  birds  in  first-class  condition."— E 
A.  H.,  Iowa. 

GOING  TO  MAKE  AN  EXHIBIT.— "My 
birds  that  I  received  of  you  in  July  and 
August  are  doing  fine,  and  as  there  is  a 
poultry  show  here  in  this  city  next  month. 
I  thought  perhaps  I  would  show  a  few  of 
them.  Could  you  give  me  any  pointers  on 
putting  them  on  exhibition?" — E.  G., 
Michigan. 

EXPERIENCE  DEARLY  BOUGHT.— 
"You  may  possibly  think  I  am  doing  con- 
siderable correspondence  without  doing 
much  trading,  but  I  wish  to  get  your  ad- 
vice in  regard  to  a  little  matter.  Last 
April  I  purchased  seventeen  pigeons  of  a 
friend  of  mine  for  $5.95.  I  knew  nothing 
except  what  your  Manual  taught  me  about 
the  business.  I  purchased  in  the  fall  of  a 
westerner  what  were  supposed  to  be  twenty 
pairs  of  Al  Homers,  but  they  proved  to 
be  a  poor  mess.  The  westerner  also  proved 
to  be  a  dead  beat.  The  next  man  I  tackled 
was  in  your  state,  who  shipped  me  twenty- 
four  pairs  Homers  for  $36.  Well,  at  pres- 
ent I  have  fifty-three  to  fifty-five  pairs  cf 
birds  and  about  thirty-five  to  forty  head  of 
young  stock.  Now  I  see  where  I  am  lame, 
and  where  I  made  a  big  mistake  in  not 
buying  your  best  breeders,  if  I  had  only 
purchased  one-half  the  number.  I  wish  to 
get  rid  of  what  I  have.  I  have  a  large 
house  and  wish  to  fill  it  with  the  best 
stock  obtainable."— M.  D.,  New  York. 

NEW  JERSEY  SEES  WHAT  REALLY 
PLUMP  SQUABS  ARE.— "The  400  pairs  of 
pigeons  I  got  from  you  are  hale  and 
hearty.  By  actual  count  I  have  ninety- 
eight  pairs  of  eggs  and  squabs,  besides  the 
squabs  ready  to  kill,  which  number  is, 
however,  very  small.  Taking  the  lateness 
of  the  season  when  I  got  the  birds  and  the 
extreme  cold  we  have  here,  I  think  the 
outlook  all  right.  What  do  you  say? 
Everybody  is  stuck  on  the  plumpness  of 
the  squabs  when  dead  and  their  bright  and 
fine  appearance  when  alive."— J.  B.,  New 
Jersey. 


SUPPLEMENT 


129 


OUR  PROMISES  MEAN  SOMETHING.- 
'Thank  you  for  prompt,  kind  and  sat- 
isfactory way  of  settlement,  in  answer  to 
our  letter  to  you.  If  all  dealers  would  as 
satisfactorily  adjust  claims  similar  to  ours 
as  you  have  done,  there  would  be  a  much 
easier  feeling  among  purchasers.  This 
action  on  your  part  shows  that  your  guar- 
antee is  just  what  it  says.  Again  thanking 
you  for  your  business-like  settlement  or 
our  claim."— R.  B.  M.,  Pennsylvania. 

BOUGHT  BIRDS  THAT  NO  ONE 
ELSE  WANTED  AND  FOUND  THEM 
INDEED  CHEAP.— "About  four  years  ago, 
my  son,  now  16  years  old,  got  the  pigeon 
fever,  and  I  must  admit  I  caught  it  my- 
self. He  first  put  up  a  dry  goods  box  and 
bought  a  few  birds.  He  showed  so  much 
interest  in  them  I  thought  it  would  be  a 
good  pastime  and  bought  him  more  birds, 
and  erected  a  house  as  per  enclosed  sketch. 
Like  most  beginners,  we  wanted  a  vari- 
ety and  we  were  foolish  enough  to  buy 
them  anywhere,  and  presume  we  got  what 
no  one  else  wanted.  We  spent  quite  a  few 
dollars  and  our  last  purchase  was  from  a 
fellow  in  Pennsylvania,  who  had  'more 
than  he  wanted,'  and  we  bought  them 
because  they  were  cheap,  and  they 
were  cheap,  or  I  had  better  say 
they  were  mighty  dear.  The  pigeons 
never  had  a  nicer  home  or  better 
feed.  I  try  to  do  right  what  I  un- 
dertake, everyone  of  our  friends  said  we 
would  succeed,  but  we  made  a  miserable 
failure  indeed.  My  wife  saw  your  adver- 
tisement, sent  for  some  literature,  we  then 
sent  for  your  squab  book,  which  we  just 
received,  and  read  it  with  considerable  in- 
terest. The  fever  has  slightly  returned, 
not  as  hard  as  at  first,  but  I  honestly  be- 
lieve that  had  I  your  stock  in  the  first 
place,  we  could  now  tell  a  different  tale. 
After  my  wife  read  your  book,  she  said, 
'I  believe  I  can  do  all  right  with  that 
kind  of  stock  myself,'  so  I  have  encour- 
aged her,  as  she  feels  that  it  would  be 
pastime  for  our  two  boys,  and  I  was  cer- 
tainly fond  of  the  birds  when  we  had 
them.  Send  along  the  nappies  and  just  as 
soon  as  we  can  get  rid  of  the  truck  we 
have,  and  straighten  house  up,  we  will  be 
ready  for  the  Extra  Homers.  I  believe 
there  is  a  great  opportunity  offered  in 
squab  raising,  and  we  are  going  to  try 
it."— E.  G.,  New  Jersey. 

READ  OUR  RULES  TO  THE  EX- 
PRESS AGENT  AND  GOT  A  REBATE 
OF  ONE-HALF.— "The  pigeons  came  to 
me  Monday  afternoon  and  seem  to  be  none 
the  worse  for  the  long  journey.  They  are 
beauties  and  I  find  it  almost  impossible 
to  keep  away  from  their  pen,  but  I  sup- 
pose the  novelty  will  wear  away.  I 
should  have  written  yesterday,  but  the 
express  agent  had  overcharged  me  and  I 
wanted  to  settle  the  matter,  if  possible, 
without  bothering  you.  I  am  glad  to  say 
I  was  able  to  persuade  him  he  was  in  the 


wrong,  and  after  reading  your  card  he 
refunded  half  my  money.  Thank  you  for 
the  very  prompt  attention  you  gave  my 
order."— Mrs.  R.  B.,  Florida". 

STRAIGHT  BUSINESS  METHODS.— 
"Birds  arrived  (this  order  was  the  second 
order  from  this  customer,  six  months  after 
the  first  order)  in  good  condition,  and  are 
now  housed.  The  birds  look  fine.  I  thank 
you  very  much  for  the  extra  pair,  some- 
thing that  I  did  not  expect  you  to  do  un- 
der the  circumstances,  as  it  was  no  fault 
of  yours  of  those  birds  going  light.  I 
also  thank  you  for  the  information  and 
will  try  and  save  the  bird  by  your  method. 
To  get  even  with  you  I  shall  show  my 
birds  to  all  and  mention  E.  C.  Rice. 
Thanking  you  again  for  prompt  shipment 
and  straight  business  methods."— W.  D., 
Ohio. 

AN  OLD  CUSTOMER  HEARD  FROM.— 
"I  am  still  raising  squabs  and  like  my 
pigeons  better  than  ever  (this  customer 
has  been  with  us  going  on  three  years). 
Am  having  good  success  raising  them  all 
through  this  awful  cold  weather,  and  they 
seem  healthier  than  when  it  is  warmer.  I 
enclose  check  for  which  please  send  me 
wooden  nappies.  If  you  have  anything 
new  in  the  way  of  literature  kindly  send 
me  some,  as  I  want  to  keep  in  touch  with 
you.  Have  you  supplied  birds  to  anyone 
around  here  lately?  Our  visit  to  your 
squab  plant  last  summer  is  pleasantly  re- 
membered by  wife  and  I."— F.  L.  B.,  New 
Jersey. 

NICE  BIRDS.— "The  pigeons  arrived  in 
fine  condition  and  seem  to  like  their  new 
home  very  much.  Thank  you  for  select- 
ing me  such  nice  birds.  Hope  the  bas- 
kets reached  you  safe."— Mrs.  J  P  A 
Virginia. 

BEAUTIFUL  BIRDS  GOT  TO  HIM 
QUICK.— "Birds  received  yesterday  noon, 
all  in  fine  condition.  Put  them  in  their 
house  last  night.  All  took  a  good  bath 
this  morning.  I  thank  you  for  your 
promptness  and  for  sending  me  such 
beautiful  birds.  I  had  not  expected  birds 
so  soon,  but  was  ready." — P.  M.  R.,  Kan- 
sas. 

SQUABS  SUPERIOR  TO  POULTRY.— 
"I  am  an  old  pigeon  and  squab  and  poul- 
try man.  I  have  made  money  with  squabs, 
and  I  think  they  are  superior  to  poultry." 
— H.  S.,  Massachusetts. 

FLORIDA  PURCHASER  DELIGHTED. 
—"Pigeons  arrived  O.  K.  Saturday  night. 
I  am  delighted  with  them,  and  as  I  have 
followed  your  instructions  as  to  building 
house,  pen  and  other  articles,  the  birds 
seem  to  be  at  home." — M.  F.  B.,  Florida. 

THEY  ARE  BEAUTIES.— "Received 
pigeons  all  O.  K.  They  are  beauties  and 


130          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


have   begun  to  nest,"— F.    M.,    Ohio. 

A  TEXAS  CUSTOMER'S  APPRECIA- 
TION.—"Your  second  shipmant  of  Homer 
pigeons  was  received  yesterday  and  like 
the  first,  in  excellent  condition,  and  I  am 
more  than  pleased  with  them.  Although 
my  dealings  with  you,  when  compared  to 
some,  of  your  large  customers,  are  rather 
insignificant,  I  can't  allow  this  oppor- 
tunity to  pass  without  expressing  to  you 
my  thanks  and  appreciation  for  your  fill- 
ing of  my  orders.  For  square  dealings, 
conducted  solely  along  sound  business 
lines,  you  are  without  a  peer  in  the 
pigeon  world  today.  I  most  heartily  rec- 
ommend you  to  all." — S.  A.  F.,  Texas. 
(The  writer  of  this  letter  is  a  well-known 
Texas  business  man,  connected  with  one 
of  the  largest  corporations  in  that  state.) 

WON  SUCCESS  ALSO  BY  DOING  AS 
WE  DO;  NEVER  HAD  A  SICK  BIRD.— 
"Some  time  ago  I  bought  a  dozen  pairs 
of  Homer  pigeons  from  you  and  paid  $20 
for  them,  and  I  want  to  get  about  four 
or  five  dozen  more  pair,  and  would  like 
to  know  the  price  you  ask  for  them  at 
present,  so  I  can  send  the  money  at  once. 
I  find  your  book  on  the  pigeon  industry 
covers  the  pigeon  business  in  good  shape. 
I  have  always  found  when  you  start  to 
make  a  new  pie  or  cake,  follow  the  di- 
rections of  the  people  that  have  made  a 
success.  Consequently,  I  have  not  had 
a  sick  pigeon  since  I  received  them  some 
eight  or  nine  months  ago.  The  only  dif- 
ference I  made  was  in  the  house,  and  in 
that  the  only  difference  was  not  to  make 
it  quite  as  tight  as  they  are  made  in  your 
locality.  Hoping  to  hear  from  you  soon." 
—James  W.  C.,  California. 

ANOTHER  WOMAN  PLEASED.— "The 
birds  came  on  the  afternoon  of  the  6th. 
They  are  all  very  handsome.  Some  of 
them  are  beautiful.  You  will  be  surprised 
to  learn  that  in  less  than  24  hours  two 
pairs  were  nesting.  They  have  been  very 
busy  all  day."— Mrs.  R.  L.  U.,  New  York. 

INCREASING  FAST.— "Enclosed  find 
$1.70  for  leg  band  outfit.  I  am  receiving 
excellent  results  from  the  birds  and  they 
are  increasing  so  fast  that  I  find  it  neces- 
sary to  band  them." — H.  C.  K.,  Mary- 
land. 

OUR  HOMERS  ADVERTISE  THEM- 
SELVES.—"For  the  enclosed  $15  ship  by 
National  Express  six  pairs  Homers, 
equally  as  fine  birds  as  you  sent  on 
August  3  last  year,  ten  months  ago,  to 
Ben  Barber  of  this  place,"— J.  B.  H.,  New 
York. 

MANUAL  WORTH  FIVE  DOLLARS.— 
"I  am  in  receipt  of  your  Standard 
Squab  Book  and  am  very  much  inter- 
ested in  the  work.  I  find  that  every  time 
I  pick  it  up  something  new  seems  to  ap- 
pear. In  fact,  the  whole  subject  is  cov- 
ered, so  far  as  I  am  able  to  judge,  and  I 


consider  the  work  well  worth  five  dollars 
instead  of  your  dinky  price  of  only  fifty 
cents.  There  is  a  squab  plant  between 
.here  and  San  Francisco,  four  thousand 
birds.  Their  output  of  squabs,  twenty 
dozen  per  week,  all  go  to  the  Palace 
Hotel,  San  Francisco.  I  think  prices  for 
squabs  are  lower  here  than  in  the  East, 
still  I  believe  there  is  money  in  it." — J. 
L.  S.,  California. 

ONE  YEAR'S  SELECTION.— "The  num- 
ber of  breeders  have  increased  to  about 
fifty  pairs  from  those  I  purchased  from 
you  about  n  year  ago  (fifteen  pairs),  and 
all  are  good  breeders,  as  I  have  been  par- 
ticular to  raise  those  from  the  best  breed- 
ers only."— H.  W.  C.,  Michigan. 

BREEDING  THROUGH  THE   WINTER. 

—"Several  months  ago  I  purchased  froYn 
you  a  number  of  your  best  Homers.  They 
have  bean  doing  fine,  breeding  right  along 
through  this  severe  weather;  in  fact,  my 
flock  has  more  than  doubled."— L.  Z., 
Ohio. 

OUR  MANUAL  OF  GREAT  HELP  TO 
HIM. — "Some  little  time  ago  I  sent  for 
your  National  Squah  Book  and  afterwards 
for  six  dozen  of  your  wood  nappies.  Since 
then  I  have  been  keeping  my  pigeons  ac- 
cording to  your  instructions  and  with 
great  success.  I  had  some  fine,  pure-bred 
Homers  and  have  been  getting  squabs  at 
four  weeks  averaging  twalve  ounces.  I 
have  had  them  up  to  13  1/2  ounces.  You 
strongly  urge  the  adoption  of  all  methods 
that  will  reduce  the  time  necessary  to 
look  after  the  birds,  and  I  heartily  agree 
with  you."— C.  C.  C.,  California. 

FROM  A  NEW  JERSEY  CUSTOMER.— 
"Anything  new  in  the  pigeon  line?  If 
so,  send  it  to  me.  I  am  raising  lots  of 
squabs."— F.  L.  B.,  New  Jersey. 

SQUAB  BUSINESS  A  SUCCESS.— "My 
father  is  in  the  squab  business  in  a  town 
in  this  state.  His  business  is  a  success, 
but  I  would  like  to  have  him  give  your 
birds  a  trial  and  so  have  decided  to  make 
him  a  present  of  a  dozen." — H.  L.  T., 
Iowa. 

GOOD  WORDS  FROM  A  COMPETI- 
TOR.— "We  have  associated  your  splendid 
achievements  and  capacity  with  our 
dogged  determination  to  remain  in  to  the 
death,  and  by  elimination  have  differen- 
tiated both  of  our  establishments  from 
the  pretentious  and  ephemeral  plants  that 
come  and  go.  We  are  a  long  way  from 
fealing  otherwise  than  modest,  and  yet 
we  realize  that  in  about  eight  months 
we  have  got  a  good  plant,  a  good  stock, 
a  good  name  and  a  good  trade,  and  do 
not  owe  a  dollar.  All  the  same,  this  has 
been  regretfully  on  our  sole,  unaided  in- 
experience>  and  your  skill  has  been  a 
loadstar  of  hope,  suggesting  that  perhaps 


SUPPLEMENT 


131 


same  day  we  might  hit  upon  the  course 
which  you  have  taken  and  follow  it.  If 
this  business  shall  ever  be  trustified,  we 
shall  wish  to  be  near  you,  and  in  any 
event  we  have  nothing  but  desire  for  your 
continued  brilliant  success,  and  that  we 
shall  be  worthy  compeers."— C.  F.,  Naw 
York. 

WONDERFUL,  FECUNDITY.— "Here  is 
$3.84,  for  which  please  send  me  four 
dozen  wood  nappies  by  Barstow's  ex- 
press. My  pigeons  bought  of  you  a  year ' 
ago  are  doing  fine.  I  bought  six  pairs 
of  you  a  year  ago  and  have  now  (July 
5,  1904)  175  birds.  I  had  100  stolen.  But 
for  this  misfortune  I  would  now  have 
275.  I  have  400  or  500  hens  as  wall  as 
the  pigeons."— N.  J.  G.,  Massachusetts. 

RAISED  A  HUNDRED.— "Will  you  send 
me  your  prices  on  grain  of  all  kinds? 
My  birds  are  doing  fine  now.  I  have  about 
one  hundred  birds  raised  from  the  ones 
I  bought  of  you  (twelve  pairs).  As  soon 
as  I  get  started  in  good  shape  I  shall 
buy  more  breeders  from  you.  I  have  not 
sold  any  yet  as  I  have  bean  raising  them." 
— H.  A.  H.,  Massachusetts. 

OTHER  HOMERS  NOT  LIKE  OURS.— 
"I  enclose  my  check  for  $1.50  to  pay  for 
leg  band  outfit,  and  20  cents  additional 
for  postage.  My  birds  are  continuing  to 
do  fine,  and  I  am  more  pleasad  than  ever 
with  them.  I  was  out  last  night  calling 
on  a  man  who  claimed  to  have  Homers. 
They  looked  more  like  common  street 
pigeons  than  my  Homars.  All  these  things 
tend  to  encourage  me,  when  people  can 
breed  such  birds  profitably.  I  know  mine 
will  show  up  much  better.  Please  give  me 
a  few  names  of  New  York  dealers  in 
squabs."— W.  M.  G.,  New  York. 

PERFECTLY  SATISFIED.— "Pardrn  me 
for  not  writing  before,  but  I  have  bean 
away  from  home  since  the  birds  came, 
until  within  a  few  days.  I  am  perfectly 
well  satisfied  with  the  Homers  you  sent 
me.  They  are  as  fine  a  lot  of  birds  as 
I  could  wish  to  see.  Half  of  them  are 
nesting  now  and  I  think  that  they  want 
to  work  as  quickly  as  could  be  expected. 
We  have  taken  great  pains  to  make  their 
house  warm,  clean  and  convenient.  I  in- 
tended to  order  more  birds  before  this 
time  but  have  been  unable  owing  to  sick- 
ness in  my  family.  However,  as  soon  as 
I  get  straightened  round  again  I  intend 
to  order  more  breeding  stock  and  work 
my  flock  up  to  150  pairs  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible."—L.  A.  C.,  New  Jersey. 

ENCOURAGED  TO  GO  ON  AFTER 
EIGHT  MONTHS'  TRIAL.— "Kjndly  quote 
me  price  on  leg  band  outfit.  I  have  lost 
circular  which  you  sent  me.  The  birds 
I  got  from  you  last  fall  (eight  months 
ago)  are  doing  fine,  one  pair  especially, 
breeding  regularly  four  weeks.  I  hope  to 
have  larger  quarters  and  will  then  place 


order     for    more    birds."— F.     J.     G.,     New 
York. 

A  PLEASURE  TO  DO  BUSINESS 
WITH  US.— "The  two  dozen  pairs  of  Ex- 
tra birds  ordered  Thursday  night  arrived 
Saturday  morning.  It  certainly  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  do  business  with  you.  I  am  de- 
lighted with  the  prompt  service  you  have 
rendered,  for  which  -I  beg  to  thank  you. 
The  birds  are  a  fine  lot,  and  they  arrived 
all  in  the  best  condition.  I  am  convinced 
that  you  make  a  special  thing  of  each 
order  sent  you.  Will  return  the  baskets 
tomorrow."— E.  S.  F.,  New  York. 

NEVER  SEEN  BETTER  PIGEONS.— 
"Several  men  who  have  seen  my  birds 
have  said  that  they  have  never  seen  a 
healthier  or  finer  lot  of  pigeons  anywhere. 
The  reason  they  are  in  such  healthy  con- 
dition is  simply  this,  that  I  have  followed 
your  method  to  the  very  letter,  and  henca 
the.  result."— E.  W.,  New  York. 

SEVEN  MONTHS  OF  STEADY  IN- 
CREASE.—"In  May  last  I  bought  of  you 
a  dozen  pairs  of  Homer  pigeons  which 
proved  a  great  sucacss,  as  I  now  have 
thirty  or  forty  young  birds  flying  at  large. 
What  I  want  to  know  is,  can  I  let  out 
my  old  ones?  I  have  a  fine  large  flying 
pen  for  them,  but  if  you  think  they  will 
stay  with  me  if  I  give  them  their  free- 
dom, I  would  like  to  do  so.  They  have 
now  been  in  their  present  quarters  nearly 
seven  months."— W.  L.  J.,  Maine. 

THANKS  FOR  EXTRA  HEN.— "This  is 
to  advise  you  that  our  second  order  of 
breeders  was  received  on  the  morning  of 
the  24th  in  prime  condition.  We  wish  to 
thank  you  both  for  your  promptness  in 
filling  our  order,  and  also  for  the  extra 
hen  sent  to  replace  the  sick  one  of  our 
first  lot."— W.  E.  M.,  Pensylvania. 

NEVER  SEEN  LARGER,  FINER  OR 
MORE  VIGOROUS  BIRDS.  — "The  Homer 
pigeons  ordered  from  you  on  Saturday 
last  arrived  today,  Tuesday,  about  noon, 
'apparently  in  excellent  condition,  and  I 
believe  I  have  never  seen  larger,  finer  or 
more  vigorous  looking  birds.  Please  accept 
thanks  for  your  careful  consideration  and 
quick  shipr  \  For  promptness  you  are 
certainly  a  .  jnder."— J.  H.  B.,  Delaware. 

SHIPPED  IN  EXTRA  FINE  SHAPE.— 
"I  received  from  you  last  evening  at  7 
o'clock  208  birds,  all  alive  and  so  far  as 
I  can  see  in  good  condition.  This  morning 
one  is  choked  and  stupid,  but  I  think 
will  come  out  all  right  later.  I  am  very 
grateful  for  the  extra  fine  shape  in  which 
you  crated,  labelled  and  fitted  them  for 
their  journey.  I  will  send  back  your 
baskets  this  date  all  in  fine  shape.  I 
have  received  evedything  else  ordered,  all 
in  fine  condition."— J.  C.,  Long  Island, 
New  York. 


132 


NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


SENT  HIS  FRIEND  TO  US.  — "Please 
send  me  a  pass  to  visit  your  plant  at  Mel- 
rose  February  27th,  and  one  for  Mr.  Bur- 
rows. Mr.  B.  intends  buying  birds  soon. 
Mine  purchased  last  April  are  doing  nice- 
ly."— E.  L.  S.,  Boston. 

HE  IS  RECOMMENDING  OUR  BIRDS. 
— "Enclosed  you  will  find  a  money  order 
for  which  please  send  me  wooden  nap- 
pies. I  would  like  to  have  them  as  soon 
as  possible  for  my  bfrds  are  beginning  to 
lay.  I  was  over  to  your  pigeon  plant  in 
Melrose  and  bought  a  few  pairs  and  I 
think  that  they  are  the  real  stuff.  They 
are  doing  fine.  Please  send  me  a  pass 
for  two,  as  I  would  like  to  visit  your 
plant  again,  and  I  am  recommending  your 
birds."— A.  L.  R.,  Massachusetts. 

STARTED  SMALL  AND  IS  NOW  CON- 
VINCED.—"Please  give  ma  your  best 
price  on  100  pairs,  giving  an  estimate  of 
the  weight  and  express  charges  on  same. 
My  birds  are  doing  finely.  All  young 
birds  are  larger  than  the  parent  birds  and 
workers."— G.  C.  D.,  Michigan. 

THE  CHILDREN  ARE  BETTER  THAN 
THEIR  PARENTS.— "I  have  forty-eight 
birds  raised  from  three  pairs  I  bought  of 
you,  far  ahead  in  looks  and  activity  than 
those  you  sent  me." — Mrs.  C.  L.  P.,  Con- 
necticut. 

HAS  RAISED  SQUABS  TEN  YEARS.— 
"I  have  received  your  Manual  and  it  is 
beyond  my  expectations.  I  have  raised 
squabs  for  about  ten  years  from  common 
pigeons."— J.  H.  M.,  Pennsylvania. 

EXPERIMENT  A  SUCCESS.— "My  hus- 
band is  going  into  the  business.  He 
bought  some  Homers  of  you  last  summer 
and  intends  buying  more."— Mrs.  G.  W. 
P.,  Massachusetts. 

THEY  GROW  UP  IN  INDIANA  ALL 
RIGHT.— "I  now  (December  1,  1903)  have 
over  eighty  Homers  from  the  eight  pairs 
I  purchased  from  you  last  spring.  They 
are  all  in  the  very  best  of  condition."— 
R.  T.  M.,  Indiana. 

IN  FINE  SHAPE  ALL  THE  WAY  TO 
OREGON.— "I  write  you  to  acknowledge 
the  receipt  of  the  birds.  They  arrived  on 
the  morning  of  November  18  and  were 
turned  into  their  new  quarters  on  the  19  :h, 
and  I  guess  they  were  very  glad  to  get 
out  of  the  baskets  and  stretch  their  wings 
which  they  did  in  great  .shape  and  a  num- 
ber of  them  took  a  bath  as  soon  as  it 
was  presented  to  them.  They  all  seem 
to  be  in  fine  condition  after  their  long 
journey."— H.  J.  T.,  Oregon. 

GOOD  RESULTS  IN  SIX  WEEKS.— 
"By  actual  count  I  find  we  have  the 
following  results  today,  six  weeks  after 
the  arrival  of  the  pigeons:  Forty-two  pairs 
of  squabs  and  sixty-seven  pairs  of  eggs 


in  the  process  of  being  hatched."—!.  B.» 
New  Jersey. 

VERIFIED  STATEMENTS  AS  TO  COST 
OF  FEED.— "My  little  experiment  justifies 
the  statement  of  your  book  as  to  cost  of 
feed.  If  you  will  answer  my  query  as  to 
capacity  of  my  house  I  shall  greatly  ap- 
preciate the  courtesy."— F.  B.  S.,  Ore- 
gon. 

COMMON  PIGEONS  DO  NOT  PAY  FOR 
KEEP.— "I  have  studied  squabs  for  two 
years  and  have  had  good  luck  with  them. 
I  have  read  your  book  and  think  it  is 
good.  If  I  had  a  price  list  I  would  get 
some  Homers.  I  have  always  had  good 
luck,  but  common  pigeons  do  not  pay  for 
the  keeping." — H.  K.,  Michigan. 

AN    ALABAMA    BOY    PLEASED.  — "The 

birds  arrived  safely  on  the  24th  and  in 
good  condition.  We  think  they  are  a 
very  nice  lot  of  birds.  As  I  am  a  boy 
of  only  fifteen  years,  I  expect  to  follow 
your  advice  given  in  your  magazines,  and 
would  appreciate  any  further  advice  you 
could  offer  me.  As  I  have  a  little  more 
money  on  hand,  I  may  order  some  more 
birds  soon.  Thank  you  for  your  prompt 
delivery." — W.  L.,  Alabama. 

THREE  HUNDRED  BIRDS  RAISED 
IN  LESS  THAN  ONE  YEAR  FROM 
THIRTY-SIX  PAIRS.— "Our  birds  shipped 
by  you  Feb.  12,  1903  (thirty-six  pairs), 
have  done  very  well.  We  have  now  (Jan- 
uary 12,  1904),  over  three  hundred  and 
they  are  laying  and  hatching  all  the  time. 
We  are  going  to  buy  some  more  before 
very  long  and  move  our  plant  out  onto 
our  thirty-acre  farm.  I  think  we  will 
do  some  more  business  with  you.  Please 
give  us  the  name  and  address  of  the  peo- 
ple who  buy  pigeon  manure.  We  have 
some  to  sell."— S.  M.  M.,  Indiana. 

FIVE  DOLLARS  A  DOZEN  FOR  THE 
SQUABS  PROVE  THE  QUALITY  OF 
OUR  HOMERS.— "I  wrote  you  the  first  of 
the  week  for  price  of  fifty  pairs  of  Hom- 
ers ready  for  hatching.  Not  receiving  any 
answer,  I  think  you  did  not  get  the  lat- 
ter. Please  give  me  figures  by  return 
mail,  and  if  you  can  ship  at  once.  The 
Homers  I  bought  from  you  two  years  ago 
are  doing  finely,  also  those  I  hatched  from 
them.  They  are  very  large  and  hand- 
some. Shipped  some  dressed  squabs  last 
week  to  New  York  and  they  returned 
five  dollars  per  dozen,  which  proves  the 
quality  of  the  goods.  Hoping  to  hear  from 
you  soon."— A.  C.,  Connecticut. 

OUR  STOCK  THE  BEST  TO  BE  HAD. 
—"I  find  I  will  not  be  in  the  market  for 
more  birds  as  expected,  as  my  flock  is  in 
good  shape,  but  have  recommended  your 
company  to  several  prospective  purchas- 
ers. Do  not  know,  however,  what  result 
this  will  bring.  I  am  glad  to  say  that  I 


SUPPLEMENT 


133 


have  every  conlidence  in  your  dealings, 
as  I  am  much  pleased  with  every  article 
I  have  purchased  from  you  from  time  to 
time  and  will  not  hesitate  a  moment  to 
buy  stock  from  you  if  in  market  for  same, 
as  I  believe  your  stock  to  be  the  best  that 
can  be  had."— O.  C.  S.,  Michigan. 

IN  FINE  CONDITION,  PERFECT 
BEAUTIES.— "Please  excuse  delay  in  ac- 
knowledging receipt  of  birds.  They  were 
delivered  to  me  in  fine  condition  and  cer- 
tainly are  perfect  beauties.  They  seem 
to  enjoy  their  new  quarters.  I  must  con- 
gratulate you  on  your  promptness  in  ship- 
ping orders.  With  me  it  was  the  quickest 
move  I  have  ever  seen,  considering  the 
distance.  The  same  day  I  ordered  poultry 
from  a  breeder  in  Jamesbury,  New  Jersey. 
Both  letters  were  posted  late  Friday  af- 
ternoon. The  pigeons  arrived  Monday 
morning  early,  while  the  poultry  did  not 
arrive  until  the  following  Thursday.  I 
was  much  surprised  at  the  difference." — 
J.  H.  B.,  New  Jersey. 

KINDNESS  TO  A  BEGINNER.  — "We 
thank  you  for  the  kindness  you  have 
shown  us  in  our  inexperience."— F.  H.  W., 
New  Hampshire. 

PLEASED  WITH  HER  INVESTMENT. 
—  "Last  April  I  purchased  of  you  some 
Homers.  I  have  had  good  success  with 
them  as  far  as  the  laying  and  hatching 
are  concerned,  and  am  very  much  pleas?d 
with  my  investment."— Mrs.  L.  G.  S.. 
Ohio. 

STOCK  TO  BE  RELIED  ON.— "In  talk- 
ing with  my  friend,  Mr.  C.  F.  Peters, 
about  going  into  the  poultry  business,  he 
advisad  me  to  write  you  about  the  squab 
business,  saying  he  knew  you  would  do 
as  well  if  not  better  by  me  than  anybody, 
and  I  could  rely  on  your  stock  and  what 
you  might  wish  to  tell  me  about  the  busi- 
ness. I  have  read  your  works  and  think 
you  have  the  right  idea  about  the  busi- 
ness."—C.  A.  G.,  Illinois. 

THREE  WEEKS  OLD  AND  WEIGHED 
OVER  A  POUND.— "We  weighed  one  of 
the  first  pair  of  squabs  from  the  birds 
bought  of  you  when  it  was  just  three 
weeks  old,  and  it  held  the  scales  at  just 
seventeen  (17)  ounces.  Pretty  good,  was 
it  not?"— Mrs.  E.  K.,  State  of  Washing- 
ton. 

A  FINE  LOT  OF  BIRDS.— "The  last  lot 
of  pigeons  which  I  ordered  from  you  were 
received  Monday  morning  in  splendid  con- 
dition after  their  long  journey,  and  are 
a  fine  lot  of  birds.  I  will  send  you  in  a 
few  days  another  remittance,  in  addition 
to  the  one  already  sent." — J.  L.,  Louis- 
iana. 

SEES  THE  IMPORTANCE  OF  KNOWL- 
EDGE AND  GOOD  STOCK.— "Just  read 
your  book  and  saw  how  foolish  we  were. 


We  had  seven  dozen  mixed  birds,  some 
common  and  some  Fantails,  and  some 
Runts  and  Homers.  We  were  ignorant 
about  the  kind,  and  only  had  about  eight 
or  ten  squabs  in  six  months,  so  we  sold 
them  to  the  first  person  that  came.  Now 
I  would  like  to  start  fresh  again  and  get 
about  a  dozen  pairs  of  your  Homers. 
What  would  tha  express  be  to  Alameda? 
Kindly  let 'me  hear  from  you  immediately, 
as  I  would  like  to  have  some  pigeons." — 
Mrs.  M.,  California. 

DOING  BETTER  AS  HE  GETS  EX- 
PERIENCE.—"Enclosed  find  postoffice 
money  order  for  which  plsase  send  me 
leg  band  outfit  and  extra  tubing.  From 
the  twelve  pairs  of  Homer  pigeons  I 
bought  from  you  about  May  1,  1903,  nine 
months  ago,  I  have  seventy-two  birds,  all 
told,  old  and  young,  and  ten  pairs  set- 
ting. According  to  this  rate  I  ought  to 
have,  I  think,  at  least  sixty  pairs  by 
May  1.  That  will  be  an  increase  of  five 
to  one.  I  have  lost  so  far  four  young 
birds  and  four  settings  of  eggs,  but  I 
hope  to  lessen  this  this  year."— E.  B. 
G.,  North  Carolina. 

PREFERS  OUR  HOMERS.  — "I  am  vary 
proud  of  my  birds,  they  are  so  .tame  and 
pretty.  I  can  get  Homers  around  here, 
but  I  would  rather  have  them  all  from 
your  place.  Please  send  at  your  earliest 
convenience." — Miss  B.  D.,  New  Jersey. 

NO  MORE  CHEAP  BIRDS  FOR  HIM.— 
"Herewith  I  enclose  fifty  cents  worth  of 
stamps,  being  in  payment  for  one  of  your 
Manuals.  In  May  last  I  started  in  the 
squab  raising  business  and  never  owned 
a  pigeon  before.  I  naturally  have  made 
some  few  mistakes,  both  in  building  a 
house  and  selecting  birds.  I  am  going  to 
sell  out  if  possible,  if  not  incurring  too 
much  loss,  which,  being  a  poor  man,  I 
cannot  afford  to  do,  and  if  successful  I 
shall  buy  land  and  build,  and  also  buy 
the  best  birds  I  can  find,  even  though  it 
be  only  a  few  pairs.  I  now  have  150  pairs 
all  mated,  working  nicely,  stove  in  house, 
eight-pound  squabs,  seventy-five  cents  per 
pair  Philadelphia  market.  As  I  said  be- 
fore, I  am  poor,  but  not  a  cheap  man.  I 
want  the  best,  which  of  course  after  giv- 
ing proper  food  and  attention  I  should  be 
rewarded  both  in  stock  of  squabs  and 
prices."— S.  B.,  Pennsylvania. 

A    FRIEND'S   FLOCK  DOING   WELL.— 

"Enclosed    find     express  money    order.      I 

am    sure   you   will    send  the   best   birds.      I 

find  the  Manual  very  instructive.  Mr. 
Connelley's  flock  which  he  obtained  of 

you  is  doing  fine."— C.  L.,  South  Caro- 
lina. 

STOCK  THE  FINEST  HE  HAS  SEEN. 
—  "My  home  is  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  I  am 
stopping  in  this  city  (Atlanta,  Ga.),  tem- 
porarily. It  is  my  intention  to  establish 


MATING  COOPS  IN  MATING  HOUSE. 

We  have  a  thousand  mating  coops  in  9ur  plant.     This  illustration  shows  how 
they  are  arranged  in  a  house,  several  tiers  high. 


134 


SUPPLEMENT 


135 


a   squab  plant  in  the  vicinity  of  Buffalo. 

I  have  been  to  look  over  Mr. 's   plant, 

which  is  very  fine,  and  the  stock  is  the 
finest  I  have  seen.  He  informed  me  that 
you  furnished  the  stock  (five  hundred 
pairs),  an  entire  equipment.  My  present 
intention  is  to  start  with  not  less  than 
300  pairs."— P.  H.,  Georgia. 

IN  FIRST-CLASS  CONDITION.— "The 
birds  arrived  yesterday  in  first-class  con- 
dition, all  alive.  Thanks  for  the  extras." 
— R.  W.  B.,  State  of  Washington. 

A  NOVA  SCOTIA  CUSTOMER.— "The 
Homers  arrived  safely  today,  and  I  am 
very  much  pleased  with  them.  They  are 
a  fine  lot  of  birds."— J.  H.,  Nova  Scotia. 

KIND  AND  CORDIAL  METHODS.— 
"Many  thanks  for  your  kind  and  cordial 
methods  of  doing  business,  and  if  I  find 
that  the  conditions  here  are  suitable  to 
squab  raising,  I  shall  be  wanting  some 
more  stock  before  long.  So  far  I  am  very 
well  pleased,  and  the  birds  you  sent  are 
certainly  well  worth  the  prices  you  quote." 
— D.  T.  S.,  Kentucky. 

CHICKEN  INDUSTRY  NEEDS  A  MAN- 
UAL LIKE  OURS. — The  Manual  sent  me 
is  the  most  complete  and  concise  work 
on  the  subject  of  squab  raising  I  have 
ever  read.  I  doubt  whether  there  ia.  a 
book  written  on  any  subject  of  its  kind 
so  complete  in  all  its  datail.  I  would  be 
willing  to  give  most  anything  for  a  like 
account  of  how  to  succeed  with  chickens. 
If  you  know  of  any  such  work  I  would 
consider  it  a  personal  favor  if  you  would 
kindly  send  me  the  title  and  where  to  get 
it.  I  am  glad  to.  have  in  my  possession 
such  a  book  as  the  Manual,  it  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  read  it.  Of  course  it's  business, 
but  I  think  it  wonderful  that  you  should 
give  such  valuable  information  to  the  pub- 
lic."—J.  H.  J.,  Pennsylvania. 

"SAME  AS  YOU  SENT  BEFORE."— 
"Enclosed  you  will  find  $15  for  six  pairs 
of  your  best  breeding  Homers  that  breed 
white  squabs,  the  same  as  you  sent  be- 
fore."—F.  P.,  Virginia. 

FROM  FIFTY  DOLLARS  TO  FIFTY 
CENTS.— "Please  send  to  us  as  soon  as 
possible  48  nappies.  We  shall  want  48  of 
your  Extra  Homers  as  soon  as  these  nap- 
pies reach  us,  and  if  conditions  prove 
favorable,  hope  to  buy  a  thousand  birds. 
I  think  there  must  be  money  in  this  busi- 
ness. I  wrote  a  squab  raiser  in  Iowa, 
asking  if  he  would  show  me  through  his 
farm,  and  he  replied  that  he  would  for 
fifty  dollars.  I  enclose  fifty  cents  for  a 
National  Standard  Squab  Book,  which 
kindly  send  me." — A.  D.,  Minnesota. 

MAKING  MORE  MONEY  WITH 
SQUABS. — "The  nappies  have  not  yet 
come.  I  have  quit  the  railroad  and  gone 
into  the  squab  business.  We  are  going  to 


send  for  some  of  your  Homers  soon  and 
let  what  we  have  raise  with  a  few  addi- 
tions occasionally  until  the  Homer  trade 
gets  rooted.  I  am  now  making  more  with 
pigeons  than  while  working  for  the  com- 
pany, or  rather,  I  am  making  a  good  liv- 
ing and  putting  in  a  large  stock  of 
pigeons."— S.  D.,  Texas. 

OUR  CLAIMS  PROVEN  TO  HIS  SAT- 
ISFACTION.—"Last  February,  1903,  I 
bought  a  small  lot  of  adult  Homers  from 
your  company  and  am  satisfied  they  arc 
all  you  claim  for  them.  Being  desirous  of 
getting  along  faster  in  the  business,  I  have 
advertised  for  additional  capital  in  a  .New 
York  City  paper,  and  have  had  nearly  two 
dozen  inquiries  about  the  industry." — A. 
D.,  New  Jersey. 

A  HUSBAND  WAITS  FOR  THIS 
YOUNG  WOMAN.— "November,  1902,  I 
bought  twelve  pairs  of  your  Homers,  now 
I'm  sorry  to  say  I  must  give  up  the  idea 
of  the  squab  business,  and  wish  to  know 
if  you  care  to  buy  them  and  what  you  will 
pay.  I  have  ninety  birds,  and  sold  some 
last  summer.  I  think  your  birds  have 
done  very  well.  I  would  not  have  any- 
thing but  your  Plymouth  Rock  Homers." 
—Miss  E.  J.  D.,  New  York. 

A  TEXAS  WOMAN  FINDS  THEM 
EASY  TO  RAISE. — "I  have  now  (January 
7,  1904),  raised  one  hundred  from  those  I 
bought  of  you  (six  pairs  Extra  sold  De- 
cember 11,  1902.)"— Mrs.  R.  M.  H.,  Texas. 

ONE  HUNDRED  PAIRS  IN  MON- 
TANA'S COLD  WEATHER.— "The  squab, 
breeders  arrived  here  all  safe  and  well  in 
spite  of  the  cold  snap  Monday  noon.  We 
are  much  pleased  with  the  flock.  Number 
is  correct,  208  birds  (only  two  casualties). 
They  certainly  are  having  a  fine  initiation 
to  Montana  weather.  The  mercury  stood 
thirty-two  degrees  below  zero  last  night 
and  has  been  below  since  their  arrival." 
— W.  H.,  Montana. 

DEALERS  ADVISE  HIM  TO  BUY  OF 
US. — "About  a  year  ago  I  bought  your 
Manual  and  plans  for  squab  houses.  I 
have  been  studying  the  book  thoroughly 
and  find  it  very  complete  in  every  detail 
and  'out  of  sight'  as  compared  with 
others  I  have  seen.  I  am  compelled  to 
move  to  Southern  California  and  will  try 
squab  raising.  What  discount  do  you  give 
on  300  pairs  of  your  best  birds?  I  have* 
been  somewhat  used  to  stock  raising,  in- 
cluding poultry.  I  am  advised  by  dealers 
in  Los  Angeles  to  get  my  stock  from  Bos- 
ton, even  at  the  expense  necessary.  While 
no  names  were  mentioned,  I  presume  they 
referred  to  you."— W.  W.  D.,  Minnesota. 
(Correct.  We  have  shipped  to  California 
within  the  past  few  years  thousands  of 
pairs  of  Homers  and  at  all  the  places  in 
California  where  squabs  are  sold  and 
eaten,  the  product  of  our  Homers  is 


136 


NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


wanted    because    they   are    the   best    in    the 
market   there.) 

USES  THE  HEALTH  GRIT.— "Please 
send  me  by  American  express  one  hundred 
pounds  Health  Grit,  for  which  find  $2 
enclosed.  My  pigeons  are  doing  finely  and 
I  now  have  75  in  addition  to  my  original 
lot,  and  the  young  ones  are  hatching  out 
squabs."— W.  L.  J.,  Maine. 

HE  IS  PLEASED  WITH  US  AND  OUR 
BIRDS. — "I  am  so  much  pleased  with  the 
birds  I  got  from  you  and  the  bright  pros- 
pects of  the  squab  industry,  that  I  feel 
interested  in  getting  some  of  my  friends 
started  in  squab  raising.  The  last  ship- 
ment of  squab  breeders  reached  me  in 
splendid  condition  and  are  very  fine  birds. 
I  am  very  much  pleased  with  the  selec- 
tion and  your  good  judgment.  All  your 
stock,  birds,  supplies  and  dealings  with 
me  in  the  past  have  been  so  satisfactory 
that  you  may  expect  more  orders  from  me 
and  my  friends  in  the  future.  I  have 
raised  and  sold  pigeons  and  pet  stock  for 
years,  so  of  course  am  capable  of  judging 
good  stock  when  I  see  it,  and  I  consider 
your  squab  breeding  Homers  the  best  that 
can  be  bred  for  successful  market  squab 
breeding.  Trusting  that  you  may  con- 
tinue to  have  much  success  in  this  worthy 
business."- L.  E.,  Virginia. 

THEY  EAT  OUT  OF  HER  HAND.  — "I 
enclose  money  order  for  more  nappies.  I 
like  my  pigeons  better  every  day.  They 
are  so  tame  now  they  will  eat  out  of  my 
hand."— Miss  L.  V.  P.,  New  York. 

THREE  MONTHS'  WORK.— "We  are 
going  to  move  this  week  to  California. 
The  six  pairs  I  bought  of  you  in  March, 
three  months  ago,  have  all  nested  and 
done  -fine,  and  I  have  raised  24  young  birds 
from  them."— Mrs.  H.  B.  S.,  Massachu- 
setts. 

ALL  THE  WAY  TO  VANCOUVER.— "I 
received  my  birds  on  June  8  and  all  of 
them  were  in  fine  condition  except  one 
hen,  which  seems  to  be  a  little  stupid. 
My  express  charges  were  all  right.  Thank 
you  for  the  free  birds.  Hoping  that  I  will 
be  able  to  send  for  a  few  more  soon."  — 
G.  A.  L..  Vancouver. 

HAS  SEEN  HOW  OUR  BIRDS  WORK 
IN  HIS  TOWN.— "I  am  sending  you  here- 
with money  order  for  $31.50,  for  which 
please  sond  me  12  pairs  of  your  Extra 
Plymouth  Rock  Homers,  and  two  of  your 
drinkers,  same  as  you  sent  me  before. 
I  have  seen  two  different  lots  of  your 
Home-rs  in  this  city,  and  although  I  have 
some  good  ones  that  are  rapid  breeders 
and  raise  large  squabs,  I  am  so  much 
impressed  with  the  work  that  Mr.  Bar- 
rett's Homers  (purchased  of  you)  are  do- 
ing, that  I  have  gone  to  work  and  fitted 
up  two  more  breeding  pens  to  accommo- 


date   some    of    your    stock." — W.     H.     M., 
Massachusetts. 

ALL  AT  WORK  IN  SIX  WEEKS.— 
"Whoever  took  the  pair  of  pigeons  from 
the  basket  must  have  been  an  expert  in 
determining  the  sex  and  mates,  as  every 
one  of  them,  that  is,  twelve  females,  have 
eggs  and  are  setting.  Don't  you  think 
this  is  strong  evidence  that  two  pigeons 
never  were  taken  from  the  basket  during 
transit?  I  will  make  no  claim  against 
the  express  company.  I  feel  very  posi- 
tive they  are  not  at  fault.  The  shipment 
reached  me  six  weeks  ago." — C.  S.,  Ohio. 

INCREASING  HIS  FLOCK.— "The 
twelve  pairs  of  breeders  that  I  bought 
from  you  last  fall  are  beginning  to  lay 
very  nicely  and  I  am  very  much  pleased 
with  them.  Please  send  me  six  more 
pairs,  in  payment  for  which  you  will  find 
money  order  enclosed." — H.  W.,  New 
York. 

A  LARGE  SHIPMENT  TO  CALI- 
FORNIA.—"I  received  all  the  birds  (312 
pairs)  without  one  being  dead,  and  the  lot 
seems  to  be  in  splendid  condition,  on  the 
whole,  after  such  a  long  journey.  It 
seems  wonderful  to  me  that  none  was 
dead  with  all  the  rough  handling  they 
must  have  received  on  such  a  long  jour- 
ney. The  birds  are  beauties  and  attract  a 
great  deal  of  attention."— P.  W.,  Cali- 
fornia. 

QUICK  WORK  HATCHING.— "The 
Homers  I  got  of  you  are  doing  finely;  re- 
ceived May  1,  five  weeks  ago,  and  I  have 
a  dozen  or  more  squabs  from  the  dozen 
pairs."— J.  F.,  New  Jersey. 

FINEST  HE  EVER  SAW.  — "The  Extra 
Homers  arrived  today  in  first-class  shape, 
and  are  the  finest  I  ever  saw."— L.  C.  Y., 
Maryland. 

UNABLE  TO  FILL  ORDERS  FOR 
HOMERS.— "The  writer  has  been  engaged 
in  selling  Homer  pigeons  for  squab  breed- 
ers for  the  past  several  months,  but  my 
stock  is  now  almost  completely  exhausted 
and  I  am  unable  to  fill  my  orders.  Have 
just  received  an  order  from  Hot  Springs, 
Arkansas,  but  as  I  make  it  a  rule  not  to 
attempt  to  fill  orders  for  birds  which  I 
do  not  have  in  my  own  lofts,  have  de- 
clined the  order  and  referred  the  cus- 
tomer to  your  company.  He  wants  fifty 
pairs,  and  would  suggest  that  you  get 
into  correspondence  with  him.  Trusting 
that  you  may  be  able  to  get  the  business." 
— G.  C.  S.,  Ohio. 

OUR  PIGEONS  AT  THIS  LARGE 
SHOW  IN  1906  MADE  A  CLEAN  SWEEP 
OF  THE  PRIZES.— Plymouth  Rock  Squab 
Co  ,  Boston,  Mass.  Gentlemen:— Pardon 
the  delay  in  not  answering  about  the  safe 
arrival  of  the  birds.  The  show  was  a  big 


SUPPLEMENT 


137 


success  and  over  nine  hundred  entries  were 
registered.  I  had  a  nice  coop  fixed  up 
and  brought  the  entire  flock  of  fourteen 
birds.  They  behaved  fine  and  did  not 
mind  the  close  confinement  after  the  first 
day.  One  of  the  pairs  laid  two  eggs.  My 
flock  took  first,  second,  third  and  fourth 
prizes,  also  one  for  the  largest  flock  of 
one  exhibitor  (which  was  $3),  and  the 
white  birds  took  first  prize  over  three 
other  pairs.  The  judge  was  high  in  praise 
of  the  birds  and  their  markings.  I  un- 
derstand you  have  sold  some  birds  to  Mr. 
Marsh,  who  has  heard  about  my  success 
and  is  to  start  with  one  hundred  pairs. 
The  pigeons  sold  several  months  ago  to  a 
doctor  of  Warren  were  through  my 
recommendation.  Thanking  you  again  for 
pas.t  favors,  I  remain,  etc.— Mrs.  R.  C., 
Pennsylvania.  (The  pigeon  exhibition  to 
which  she  refers  was  held  in  February, 
1906.) 

OFFERED  FIVE  DOLLARS  A  PAIR 
FOR  THE  BIRDS.— "Pigeons  arrived 
August  29th  in  good  condition  and  I  thank 
you.  I  am  well  pleased  with  the  birds; 
thay  are  the  finest  flock  I  have  ever  seen. 
The  teamster  who  brought  them  out  from 
Seattle  informs  me  a  man  on  the  way 
offered  him  five  dollars  a  pair  for  the 
birds.  Had  I  been  with  him,  I  surely 
would  have  taken  him  up,  and  made 
nearly  $100  by  the  bargain.  You  may  ex- 
pect another  order  from  me  in  a  month 
or  six  weeks  for  one  hundred  pairs,  and 
then  I  shall  have  enough  breeders  to 
commence  with." — C.  C.,  State  of  Wash- 
ington. 

We  have  had  quite  a  number  of  letters 
similar  to  this  one,  and  from  other  infor- 
mation which  we  have  in  regard  to  the 
Western  market  for  breeders,  we  know  it 
to  be  a  remarkable  one.  Anyone  who 
buys  our  fine  birds  can  find  a  purchaser 
who  is  willing  to  pay  in  many  cases  much 
more  than  the  difference  in  express 
charges.  We  receive  numerous  requests 
from  wholesalers  who  wish  to  sell  our 
birds  in  their  territory,  but  we  sell  all 
the  birds  we  wish  to  at  retail,  to  the  ex- 
tent of  our  capacity,  at  one  price  to  all, 
and  do  not  supply  such  dealers.  We  are 
shipping  at  least  one  order  a  day  the  year 
round  to  California  or  the  State  of  Wash- 
ington. 

OUR  HOMERS  ARE  PRIZED'  BY 
FANCIERS  AS  WELL  AS  SQUAB- 
BREEDERS.— Our  Homers  sell  on  their 
merits  as  squab  breeders,  but  they  are 
first-class  flyers,  able  to  win  in  any  com- 
pany. At  the  New  York  and  Chicago  Na 
tional  Pigeon  shows  in  January,  1904,  in 
competition  with  the  whole  country, 
Homers  sold  by  us  and  exhibited  by  our 
customers  were  the  best  birds  there.  In 
awarding  the  first  prize,  New  York  show, 
class  of  Blue  Homer  Cocks,  the  judge 
said:  "Grand  one;  the  best  bird  in  the 
ring  today  to  my  way  of  thinking.  He  is 
a  larg-e,  fine-colored  Homer  with  almost 


perfect  head,  broad  shoulders  and  wedge- 
shaped  body,  nice  eye  and  fine  dark  cere. 
This  cock  also  won  the  cup  for  best 
Homer  shown,  and  this  honor  was  not 
new  to  him,  as  he  did  the  same  trick  at 
Lawrence  earlier  in  the  season." 

The  class  of  Blue  Checker  Cocks  at  the 
New  York  show  was  the  largest.  "A 
finer  class  of  Blue-  Checker  Homers  we 
have  never  seen,"  said  the  judge.  The 
first  prize  in  this  large  class  was  awarded 
a  Homer  from  our  coops  exhibited  by  one 
of  our  customers  with  the  following  com- 
ment by  the  judge:  "Grand-bodied,  up- 
standing bird,  elegant  head  and  eye  with 
the  most  perfect  checkering  I  ever  saw 
on  a  Homer,  but  for  being  a  trifle  light 
(in  color)  on  rump  he  would  be  hard  to 
find  fault  with." 

In  awarding  the  first  prize  in  the  New 
York  show,  class  of  Blue  Hens,  to  a  hen 
sold  by  us  and  exhibited  by  one  of  our 
customers,  the  judge  said:  "This  class 
outside  of  the  winner  was  not  bang-up. 
Good  blue  hens  are  scarce,  but  the  first 
bird  is  an  exception,  and  probably  one  pf 
the  best  hens  going.  She  is  extra  large 
for  a  hen,  almost  over  the  limit  in  this 
respect,  but  she  is  built  on  the  correct 
lines,  very  good  color  and  smooth  type  of 
head.  She  would  maka  a  great  mate  for 
the  first  Cock." 

In  the  fall  of  1903,  one  of  our  custom- 
ers, with  a  Homer  Cock  bought  of  us, 
won  first  prize  every  time  exhibited,  also 
special  prize  for  best  Homer  in  the  show, 
every  time  exhibited,  at  the  pigeon  and 
poultry  shows  at  Taunton,  Brockton  and 
Hartford. 

THIS      COMMISSION      FIRM      IN      NEW 
YORK     CITY     WANTS     ONE     THOU- 
SAND DOZEN  SQUABS  DAILY,    PAY- 
ING   FROM    $4   TO    $6    A    DOZEN   FOR 
SQUABS    BRED    FROM    OUR    BIRDS. 
The     large     commission     houses     handle 
squabs    by    hundreds    of   dozens    daily    and 
firms   which    are   known   to  furnish   squabs 
of  first-class  size  and  weight,   such  as  our 
birds  breeu,  get  more  orders  than  they  can 
fill.      We    received    the    following   letter    in 
January,    1904,     from    a    well-known    com- 
mission   firm    in    New    York    City    (whose 
name    and    address    we    give    to   customers 
who  buy  breeding  stock  of  us): 

Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co.,  Boston,  Mass.: 
Gentlemen:  I  am  receiving  quite  a  faw 
letters  from  time  to  time  from  the  differ- 
ent customers  of  yours,  that  are  starting 
In  the  squab  trade.  I  wish  if  you  see  or 
write  them,  that  you  would  advise  them 
as  I  have  done,  to  put  themselves  in  a 
position  to  ship  from  5  to  10  dozen  squabs 
at  a  time,  and"  if  they  intend  to  make  a 
business  of  it,  they  might  as  well  buy 
enough  breeders  in  the  start,  so  as  to  be 
able  to  ship  a  quantity  at  a  time,  as 
these  little  shipments  of  one  or  two  dozen 
hardly  pays  one  to  handle,  the  expense 
eating  up  the  commission.  I  have  stated 


138         NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


to  them  before,  and  you  can  also  tell 
them,  that  the  squab  trade  is  in  its  in- 
fancy, and  will  certainly  increase  from 
time  to  time,  and  we  are  in  a  position 
to  handle  daily  any  part  of  1,000  dozen 
squabs,  as  we  have  a  big  outlet  to  place 
them  promptly  at  top  prices,  with  check 
to  balance  same  day  goods  are  received 
and  sold.  For  the  present,  and  until  fur- 
ther notice,  we  quote  you  market  as  fol- 
lows: Squabs  weighing  ten  pounds  to  tha 
dozen,  $5.50  per  dozen;  nine  pounds,  $5.25 
per  dozen;  eight  pounds,  $5  per  dozen; 
seven  pounds,  $4  per  dozen;  six  and  one- 
half  pounds,  $2.75  per  dozen;  dark,  $2.10 
per  dozen.  Would  like  to  have  all  the 
squabs  you  can  get.  In  case  you  have 
any  good  customers  that  ara  starting  in, 
T  wish  you  would  send  me  a  complete  list 
of  that  trade,  so  that  I  can  write  to  them 
occasionally,  and  post  them  on  the  con- 
dition of  the  market. 

To    our   answer    we    received    the    follow- 
ing letter  from  the  above  firm: 

Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co.,  Boston,  Mass.: 
Gentlemen:  Your  letter  of  the  1st  duly 
received,  and  I  am  glad  to  hear  from 
you  so  promptly.  I  have  received  quite  a 
number  of  letters  from  small  shippers 
who,  judging  by  the  way  they  write,  must 
be  _beginners,  and  know  but  very  little  of 
the'  business.  I  have  tried  to  make  things 
as  plain  as  possible  to  them,  and  encour- 
aged them  all  to  start  in  and  increase  the 
size  of  their  purchases  from  you  to  such 
an  extent  that  it  will  pay  them  to  ship. 
Of  course  we  are  obliged  to  take  these 
small  shipments,  and  encourage  them 
along  as  much  as  possible,  but  very  often 
after  we  have  got  a  man  started,  he  would 
have  made  a  pretty  fair  shipper,  but 
someone  gets  hold  of  him  in  the  mean- 
time and  makes  him  believe  that  they 
can  do  better  than  we  can,  which  is  one 
reason  that  I  object  to  helping  thase  small 
shippers  along.  As  above  stated,  as  soon 
as  they  get  started  they  begin  switching 
around,  and  the  man  who  starts  them 
has  very  little  for  his  trouble  and  pains 
of  putting  him  in  the  way  of  making 
money. 


I  wish  if  you  have  any  shippers'  ad- 
dresses in  the  West  or  in  Wisconsin 
(which  seems  to  be  quite  a  squab  coun- 
try) and  also  in  either  Illinois  or  Minne- 
sota, that  you  would  send  them  to  me. 
They  seem  to  be  doing  pretty  well  in  that 
section,  and  are  satisfied  with  the  fair 
prices  they  get  from  our  market,  on  ac- 
count of  the  poor  prices  they  get  in  Chi- 
cago, or  elsewhere  nearer  home. 

Ai  the  present  time,  squabs  are  very 
scarce  and  very  high.  We  are  even  re- 
turning more  money  than  the  last  quota- 
tions I  sent  you,  in  order  to  get  enough 
birds  to  supply  our  trade.  So  if  you  can 
put  rne  in  the  way  of  increasing  our  squab 
supply,  I  would  greatly  appreciate  it,  and 
try  in  some  way  to  reciprocate  for  same. 
Thank  you  for  the  information  you  have 
given  me  thus  far  in  regard  to  shippers. 

Under  date  of  January  30,  1904,  we  have 
the  following  letter  from  a  commission 
firm  in  St.  Louis,  showing  that  the  de- 
mand in  that  section  is  becoming  ex- 
traordinary: 

Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co.,  Boston,  Mass.: 
Gentlemen:  We  are  in  the  market  for 
squabs  and  if  you  have  any  customers  in 
this  vicinity  who  are  seeking  a  market 
for  their  squabs,  we  would  be  glad  to  be 
placed  in  correspondsnce  with  them.  We 
will  pay  the  highest  market  price  for 
them,  and  feel  confident  that  the  service 
we  will  render  your  patrons  will  prove 
advantageous  to  you,  to  them  and  our- 
selves. Please  let  us  hear  from  you. 

We  do  not  give  the  addresses  of  these 
firms,  and  other  good  squab  buyers,  until 
we  have  sold  breeding  stock  to  the  cus- 
tomer. Commission  men  in  all  the  cities 
are  getting  letters  from  curiosity  seekers 
who  are  merely  "looking  up"  squabs,  and 
to  such  letters  the  commission  men  pay 
scant  attention,  for  lack  of  time,  and  as 
there  is  no  money  in  it  for  them.  Any- 
one who  doubts  the  genuineness  of  the 
letters  we  print  should  come  or  send  a 
friend  to  our  Boston  office  to  see  the 
originals. 


APPENDIX  A. 

NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK. 
BY  ELMER  C.  RICE. 

CALIFORNIA       MARKET.— The       California  you    do    not    care    to    deal    Witk    Commission 

market   for   squabs   is   excellent,    especially   at  men. 

the    invalid    resorts.      In    San    Francisco    it    is  BRANCHING   OUT. — We    have    put    some    of 

not  so   good   as  at  the   Southern   Coast   places  our   best   birds,    in    largest   orders,    for   300   to 

frequented    by    rich    travelers.      We   print    the  1,000  pairs,   right   into  the   heart  of  the   squab 

following    letter:  country  around  Philadelphia,  showing  that  our 

Poultrymen's   Union  of  California,   413  Front  ideas   and   our   birds   are    all   right.      On   Fe~b. 

street,    San   Francisco    (Jan.   28,    1903):      "Your  9.   1903,   we  received   the  following   letter  from 

Valued  favor  just  received  and  in  reply  would  Heacock    &    Hokanson,     architects,    of    Phila- 

say  that  usually  the  quotations  in   the  papers  delphia: 

are   close    to   being   correct,    but   if   you   desire  "Enclosed  please  find  25  cents  for  a  plan  of 

to  call   and  see  us  at  any  time,   we  will  give  your    style    of    squab    house.      Our    client    in- 

you    exact    quotations.       There     is    always     a  forms    us    that   you    have    prints    showing    the 

good  market  here   for  large,   fat  squabs.     They  details  of   house,   nests,   self-feeders,    etc.     We 

are  readily  selling  today  at  $3  per  dozen."  have  two  clients  who  have  been  making  some- 

SUMMER    RESORT    MARKETS.— The    pleas-  what   of   a   success  at   this    work  and   are   now 

ure   and  vacation   resorts  all  over  the   country  ready    to    build    houses    with    every    essential 

are  good   squab  markets.     Maine   squab  breed-  and    practical    feature     necessary    to    make  _a 

ers   ship   to   Boston   in  the    winter   but   In   the  success  on  a  somewhat  larger  scale." 

summer  they  get   better  prices  at   Bar   Harbor  SQUABS     IN     UTAH.— The     following    letter 

and    elsewhere    along    the    coast.      The    White  comes   to   us   from    James   A.    Hepburn,    Utah, 

Mountain    resorts    in    New    Hampshire    are    a  dated   Jan.    24,    1903: 

fine  summer  market,  also  the  resorts  along  "Enclosed  find  check  for  $1.70  for  which 
the  eastern  coast  of  Massachusetts.  Newport,  please  send  me  postage  paid  your  leg  band 
in  Rhode  Island,  is  a  good  summer  squab  outfit.  I  recently  received  your  book  on  pig- 
market.  Two  or  three  of  our  customers  .in  eons  and  although  I  have  been  breeding 
the  vicinity  of  Lenox,  Mass.,  and  in  North  Homers  for  flying  for  a  long  time,  I  learned 
Carolina,  and  Florida,  are  quite  enthusiastic  many  things  of  interest  to  me  from  the  boojc. 
over  the  splendid  market  at  their  doors,  j  intend  now  to  increase  my  flock  and  raise 
Wherever  the  good  eaters  go,  winter  or  sum-  SqUabs  for  the  market  also.  I  find  I  can  sell 
mer,  there  is  the  demand  for  squabs.  all  I  can  supply  here  to  the  local  markets." 

HOSPITAL  TRADE.— A  woman  in  the  state  SQUABS  NOT  GAME.— A  correspondent 
of  Washington  wrote  us  that  two  big  hgs-  writes  us  that  she  does  not  think  she  can 
pitals  in  a,  city  near  her  had  offered  to  take  market  squabs  in  her  state  because  the  game 
all  the  squabs  she  could  supply.  She  moved  laws  arc  so  strict.  In  reply  we  wish  to  state 
out,  bought  a  farm  and  in  January,  1903,  we  that  squabs  are  not  game,  but  are  a  domes- 
shipped  her  four  baskets.  Under  date  of  Feb.  tic  product  same  as  chickens,  and  can  be 
7  she  replied:  "Please  pardon  my  delay  in  marketed  in  any  state  or  territory  at  any 
acknowledging  the  receipt  of  the  shipment  of  time  of  the  year  in  any  quantity  without  vip- 
fifty  pairs  extra  mated  Homers  I  ordered  from  lating  the  game  laws. 

you.     I  have   been   so  busy   with   them  that   I  CHICAGO    MARKET.— The    Chicago    market 

have    not    really   had    time   to    write.      Out    of  for    squabs   is    fairly   good,    but   nowhere    near 

the   whole    lot   there   was   only   one    dead    one,  so   good  as  the   markets  of  New   York,    Phila- 

which  surprised  us."     (As  we  had  shipped  two  delphia    and    Boston,    because    the    only   squabs 

pairs    more    than    the    order   called    for,    or    52  obtainable    there    in    large    quantities    are    the 

pairs    altogether,    the    customer    had    no    com-  inferior  squabs  of  common  pigeons.     We  have 

plaint.)     "The   birds   are   perfect   beauties  and  customers    in    Illinois    who    have     written    us 

we  are  greatly  pleasel  with  them.     They  seem  that    their    fat    Homer   squabs    from   our    birds 

to    like    their   new    home.      Thanking    you    for  are   salable   at  prices  from  $1  to   $2   in  excess 

yo»r  kindness  and  with  best  wishes."  of    the    prices    quoted    by    the    Chicago    com- 

The  hospital  trade  in  squabs  is  worth  cater-  mission     men.       The     Chicago    market     is     an 

ing    to,    for    they    are    such    a    delicacy    that  eager    one,     and     the     dealers    are     imploring 

they     are     greatly     esteemed     by     physicians,  squab    raisers   to    sell,    saying   they    will    tajte 

There  may  be  a  suggestion  in  this  for  you  if  all  offered.     We  advise  our  customers  in   the 

(Copyright,  1903,  by  Elmer  C.  Bice.) 
139 


140          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

Middle  West  to  sell  their  squabs  to  the  trade  times.     We   assure  you,   and  you  can   rely  on 

direct  over  the   heads   of  the  Chicago  commas  us    to    obtain    the    highest    possible    price    for 

sion  men  until  the   latter  advance  prices.     We  your  stock  at   all   times." 

print     herewith     some     letters     from     Chicago  Cougle    Brothers,     178    South    Water    street, 

commission    houses,    showing    that    they    wajit  Chicago.    111.     (Jan.    29,    1903):      "Replying    to 

them   both   with   the   feathers  on   and   off,    de-  your    favor    of   Jan.    27th    will    say    that    good 

pending  on  the   dealer:  fat    squabs    are    worth    from    $2    to    $2.50    per 

C.    B.     Hayden,     Jr.,     &    Co.,    214    and    216  dozen.       We     can     handle     all     of    that    kind 

South    Water    street,     Chicago,     Illinois    (Jan.  you   can  get.     The  best   way   to   ship   them   is 

26,    1903):      "Your    favor   of   the   24th    inst.    at  just  to  pinch  their  necks,   cool  thoroughly  and 

hand     and     in     reply     will     say,     fat    dressed  pack  in   a  box.     Do   not  bleed   them   nor   take 

squabs   bring  $2  to  $2.25  per  dozen.     We  haji-  the    feathers   off.      We    hope    you    can  ship    us 

die  them  in  any  quantities."                               .  some    of    this    kind    of    squabs    as    we    need 

Gallagher    Bros.,     191    South    Water    street,  them." 

Chicago,  111.  (Jan.  26,  1903):  "We  have  your  F.  W.  Melges  &  Co.,  lOu  South  Water 
favor  of  the  24th  to  hand  and  noted.  In  r.e-  street,  Chicago,  111.  (Jan.  28,  1903):  "Re- 
gard to  handling  squabs  will  say,  we  are  in  plying  to  your  favor  of  the  27th  in  regard  to 
a  position  to  handle  any  quantity  to  good  squabs  we  beg  to  say  that  there  is  a  wfde 
advantage.  We  are  now  getting  fancy  squabs  range  of  prices  according  to  quality.  If  they 
from  Wisconsin,  which  are  selling  at  $2.50  are  fine  fat  birds  we  can  handle  advanta- 
per  dozen,  about  seven  pounds  to  the  dozen."  geously  all  you  can  ship  us.  We  shall  do  all 

C.     H.     Weaver    &    Co.,    129     South     Water  in  our  power  to  obtain  the  very  top  price  for 

street,    Chicago,    111.     (Jan.    29,    1903):     "Your  same    at   all    times." 

favor    of   the    27th    received.      The    market    on  A.   Booth  &  Co.,   63-65  Lake  street,    Chicago, 

squabs  is  $2.25  per  dozen  for  the  weights  you  111.     (Jan.    25,     1903):       "If    squabs    are     well 

speak   of.     We    can   handle    all   that    you    will  dressed    arnd    weigh    eight    to    nine    pounds    to 

be  able  to   ship  us,   but  would  advise   making  the    dozen,    we    can    use    them    at    $2.25    per 

a  small  shipment  at  first,   so  that  we  will  get  dozen    F.  O.  B.    Chicago." 

an  idea  of  your   stock  and  dressing."  H.  G.   Lane,  buyer  for  the  Wellington  Hotel, 

Theo.    C.   H.    Wegeforth   Co.,    133  South  Wa-  Wabash    avenue    and    Jackson    boulevard,    Ctti- 

ter   street,    Chicago,    111.    (Jan.    28,    1903):    "In  Cago,    111.    (Feb.    2,    1903):      "In  reply  to   yours 

reply    to    your    favor    requesting    us    to    quote  of  Jan.   26th   about  squabs   would  say  that  we 

you  prices  on  squabs  will   say  that  there  is   a  are   buying   the    large  white    squab   you    speak 

very  good  demand  for  them  on  this  market  at  of.      We    have    them    shipped    with   the    feath- 

present   and    when    fine    they   will    bring   from  ers   on   and    market   price    for   the    best    squab 

$2   to   $2.25   per   dozen    but   in   order   to    bring  is  $2.75  to  $3.00  per  dozen." 

these    prices,     the    squabs    must    be    fat    and  William   H.    Taylor   Co.,    156   and   158    South 

weigh   on    an   everage    about  three-quarters   of  Water    street,    Chicago,     111.       (Feb.    4,    1903): 

a  pound   each,   and  for  such  there   is  a   ready  "Your    letter    at    hand    in    regard    to    squabs, 

sale.     If  you  have  any,   or  receiving,   you  can  Would   say  we   could  use    all   your  squabs  you 

safely  ship  all  you  can  get."  can  ship.     We   would  just   as   soon  have   them 

H.   R.   Waszko,   213  South  Water  street,   Chi-  \vith  the  feathers  on  as  off.     We  can  offer  you 

cago,    111.     (Jan.     29th,     1903):       "In    reply    to  $2.50  now  for  good  stock.     Should  at  any  time 

your  letter  of  Jan.   27th,   we   wish  to  say  that  market  do  better,   we   should  certainly  give  it 

we    can    handle    your   squabs,    in   fact   we   can  to    you.      Please    let    us    know    how    soon    you 

place  any  amount   at  the  extreme   top  market  can  ship  and  how  many  each  week.     We  have 

price,    for   we   are    heavy    receivers   of   dressed  the  trade  for  them  and  can  do  as  well  as  any 

squabs,     especially     from     South    Dakota     and  one  for  you." 

Wisconsin.       Squabs    should    weigh     not     less  Herman   Weber   Co.,    Inc.,    Union   Hotel   and 

than  six   or  seven   pounds  per   dozen.      Should  Restaurant,    111-117    Randolph    street,    Chicago, 

be    dry-picked     as    the    trade     that     can    pay  m.    (Feb.    3,    1903):      "Your   favor   of   the    1st 

fancy  prices  want   them  No.   1,    and  we   quote  to    hand.      I    am   buying   squabs    fresh    in    the 

them  firm   at   $2.50   per  dozen,    but  they  must  market    all    the   time    and    am    paying    $3    per 

be    fancy.      We    think    we    can    get    you    still  dozen  for  same.     You  can  bring  in  two   dozen 

higher  prices  but  we  can  tell  from   your  first  of    your   squabs   and    if    satisfactory    will   buy 

shipment    to    us     just    where    we     can    place  same    of   you    rjgnt    aiong." 

them  and  what  we  can  do.     See  that  they  are  The    letter    last     quoted    above,     that    from 

well     cooled     off     before     shipping.       Trusting  Herman     Weber,     is    an     indication     of    what 

that  you  will  favor  us   with   a  good   shipment  the    consumer    in    Chicago    is    paying    for    in- 

as  soon   as  possible   and   also  give   us   an  idea  ferior  squabs.     It   rests  with  you  whether  you 

of    how^  many     you     can     ship     us     daily     or  will     be     satisfied    with     breeding     a     product 

weekly."  which  commands   a  price  of  $2  to  $3  a  dozeji, 

Peter  Britten  &  Sons,   2  and  4  Fulton  street,  or  $3  to  $6.     If  you  put  squabs  weighing  ten 

Chicago.    111.    (Jan.    30,    1903):      "There    is   no  pounds    a    dozen    and    over    into    the    Chicago 

limit  to  the  amount  of  squabs  we  can  handle,  market,   you  can  get  from  $3  to  $6  a  dozen, 

as    we    have    inquiries    for    the    same    at    all  NEW  YORK  MARKET.— In  the  first  part  of 


APPENDIX   A  141 

January,    1903,    we   received   the   following   let-  weighing    100    pounds,    transport    it    to    New 

ter   from    the    manager   of    the    squab    depart-  York,  and   in  that  city  deliver   it  by   team   to 

ment    of    a    commission    house    in    Washington  the   commission  dealer  for  $1.     In  the  case  of 

market,   New   York   city:  a  box  of  our  squabs  weighing   twelve  pounds 

"Your  name  and  address  as  raisers  of  fancy  to  the  dozen,  about  eight  dozen  and  the  box 
squabs  was  given  me  by  Mr.  Howes  of  De-  would  weigh  100  pounds.  If  we  delivered 
troit,  Michigan,  who  was  over  to  your  place  them  in  New  York  at  the  price  quoted,  $4.50 
a  few  days  ago.  As  I  have  heard  of  your  per  dozen  (or  $36  gross),  we  would  net,  de- 
plant  before  and  have  tried  to  get  your  ad-  ducting  his  five  per  cent,  commission  and  the 
dress  so  as  to  write  to  you  for  squabs,  I  hope  $1  express  charges,  $33.20.  The  commission 
this  letter  will  mean  some  business  for  us  man  would  resell  the  squabs  to  his  trade  for 
both.  If  you  have  any  squabs  to  ship,  I  $5  to  $8  per  dozen.  By  a  dozen  squabs  we 
would  like  to  get  your  output,  and  can  use  all  mean  in  this  case  and  in  all  cases  where 
you  can  ship  at  full  market,  and  make  you  prices  are  quoted,  twelve  squabs.  We  do  not 
prompt  returns  day  received  and  sold.  This  mean  one  dozen  pairs  of  squabs.  We  mean 
week  I  am  returning  the  following  prices:  six  pairs  of  squabs.  Squabs  are  always 
Squabs  weighing  ten  pounds  to  dozen  and  quoted  at  so  much  per  dozen,  not  so  much 
up,  $4.50  per  dozen;  eight  pounds  and  up,  3>  per  dozen  pairs. 

seven  pounds  and   up,   $3.50;   six  and   one-half  On    January    8,    1903,    the    New   York    squab 

pounds   and   up,    $2.60;    dark,    $1.80   per   dozen,  buyer     above     quoted     offered     the     following 

If   you   will   prepay   charges,    account   of    sales  prices    for    squabs:    For   squabs    weighing    ten 

will    be    sent    you    same    day    goods    are    fe-  pounds    to    the    dozen    and    up,     $4.75;    eight 

ceived,    less    five    per    cent,    commission."  pounds   and   up,    $4.50;    seven   p6unds   and  up, 

Letters   like  the   above   come   to   us  from   all  $3.60;    six    and    one-half    pounds,    $2.75;    dark 

parts    of     the    country,     and     squab     breeders  and   No.    2   squabs,    $2. ' 

whom  we  have  supplied  get  similar  communi-  On  January  25th,  1903,  he  offered  the  fol- 
cations.  The  poultry  and  game  dealers  in  all  lowing  prices:  Ten  pounds  and  up,  $5.50  per 
sections  are  after  squabs  all  the  time  and  dozen;  eight  pounds  and  up^  $5.00  per  dozejj; 
could  sell  a  great  many  more  than  they  are  seven  pounds  and  up,  $4;  six  and  one-half 
now  able  to  get  hold  of.  The  above  letter  is  pounds,  $3;  dark  and  No.  «  squabs,  $2.10. 
written  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  in  New  On  February  6,  1903,  he  offered  us  the 
Jersey  and  Eastern  Pennsylvania  alone  are  same  prices  as  last  quoted,  adding  that  he 
today  four  or  five  thousand  squab  breeders,  would  pay  $3  to  $3.75  per  dozen  for  squabs  .of 
many  of  them  with  large  flocks  of  over  one  average  weight  and  grade.  In  this  letter  he 
thousand  pairs  of  birds  each.  In  the  town  of  said:  "As  I  have  been  getting  quite  a  few 
Moorestown,  New  Jersey,  to  take  only  one  letters  from  some  of  your  squab  customers  of 
case,  are  from  200  to  300  squab  breeders.  As  late,  I  want  to  thank  you  for  same,  and 
we  say  in  our  Manual,  people  in  these  sec-  n«pe  to  get  some  of  their  birds  and  prove  to 
tions  keep  hens  for  their  own  use,  but  not  for  their  satisfaction  by  the  prices  large  fine 
market,  for  they  know  that  squabs  pay  better  birds  will  sell  at,  that  squab  raising  if  prop- 
than  hens.  Poultrymen  in  other  sections  of  erly  carried  on  is  a  very  profitable  and  pay- 
the  United  States  are  fast  finding  this  out  ing  industry.  The  demand  for  squabs  in  on 
and  are  putting  in  squabs  along  with  poultry,  the  increase  and  will  be  from  now  on,  as 
or  giving  up  poultry  altogether.  In  spite  of  the  game  laws  of  all  the  states  are  such  as 
the  large  output  of  squabs  from  the  4,000  to  to  prevent  much  small  game  from  reaching 
5,000  breeders  in  New  Jersey  and  Eastern  the  several  markets,  where  there  has  been  a 
Pennsylvania,  which  go  into  the  Philadelphia  big  supply  of  such  at  low  prices  that  squabs 
and  New  York  and  Boston  markets  (for  the  will  now  take  their  place,  so  that  new  be- 
squab  raisers  in  New  England  supply  only  ginners  have  nothing  to  fear  from  a  glut  by 
about  one-tenth  of  the  Boston  demand),  there  over  production  of  good-sized  squabs.  Tt's 
is  all  the  time  a  scarcity  of  squabs,  as  the  we  have  proven  to  our  own  satisfaction  when 
above  letter  proves.  This  letter  comes  to  us  we  introduced  the  large  or  royal  squab  to  our 
because  we  have  the  reputation  for  dealing  best  hotel  and  cafe  trade  In  this  market,  dur- 
in  a  fancy  product.  There  are  breeders  ing  the  past  season,  and  it  now  looks  ag 
of  squabs  who  send  to  market  an  inferior  though  our  demand  will  be  greater  this  corn- 
product  from  small  and  cheap  Homers,  and  ing  season.  The  buyers  of  these  large 
such  squabs  are  not  the  kind  which  commis-  birds  see  they  are  worth  the  difference  in 
sion  dealers  are  anxious  to  get.  Be  sure  you  price,  that  they  have  a  better  ca,ll  for  them 
are  able  to  breed  a  fancy  squab  by  getting  once  they  introduce  them  to  the  sonsumer. 
your  breeding  stock  of  us.  Some  beginners  Encourage  all  your  buyers  to  invest  in  birds 
are  anxious  as  to  express  rates,  not  compre-  that  produce  large,  plump  squabs.  It  will 
hending  that  they  can  ship  squabs  long  dis-  pay  them  best  in  the  end  and  make  a  r>°*ter 
tances  at  a  trifling  cost.  The  express  rate  demand  for  their  grade  of  birds." 
from  Boston  to  New  York  is  $1  per  100  On  Feb.  16th,  1903,  he  offered  us  the  foi.ow- 
pounds.  This  means  that  an  express  team  ing  prices:  Squabs  weighing  ten  pounds  to 
will  call  at  our  door,  get  a  box  of  squabs  the  dozen  and  up,  $6  per  dozen;  nine  pounds, 


INTERIOR  OF  MATING  HOUSE. 

This  shows  mating  coops  in  use  in  one  of  our  mating  houses.     This  house  is 
heated  by  hot  water. 


142 


APPENDIX   A  143 

$5.50  per   dozen;    eight  pounds,    $5   per   dozen;  for    squabs    is    growing.      I    will    take    your 

seven  pounds,   $4  per   dozen;   six  and  one-half  squabs    at    market   price    day    received." 

pounds,    $3    per  dozen;    dark,    $2.10   per   dozen.  C.    T.   Wiggins,    East    entrance   City   market, 

The   above  quotations   are   a   good   indication  Kansas  City,   Mo.   (Jan.   26,   1903):     "It  is  only 

of   what  the   New    York   market  for  squabs   is.  a    question    of   how    many    you    can    supply.      I 

One     of    the     practical     ways     we     have     of  can  handle   all   the   squabs  you  will  offer  and 

helping    our    customers    is    to    refer    them    to  will    pay    you    good     prices    for    them.      The 

such   first-class    buyers   of   squabs   as    the    firm  demand    is    strong  and    increasing.      Hope    you 

above    quoted.      We   will    give    the    address    of  will   soon  make   a  start  with   me." 

the    above    New    York    firm   to    you    when    you  George    O.     Relf,     steward,     Midland     Hotel, 

buy   breeding  stock   of   us.  Kansas   City,    Mo.    (Jan.    27,    1903):      "We   can 

SCRANTON     MARKET.— The    following    let-  use     squabs     almost     any     time     at     $2.75    per 

ter    is    from    Chandler  and    Short,    commission  dozen.     If   you   have   some   now  we    will    take 

merchants,    15    Lackawanna    avenue,    Scranton,  one    or    two    dozen    and    if    O.     K.    will    very 

Penn.,    dated   Feb.    15,    1903:    "We   have   yours  likely  use   them   right   along." 

in      regard      to      squabs.        They      are      worth  Ewins-Dean     Hotel     Co.,     proprietors     Hotel 

from    $2.75   to   $3   per    dozen,    dressed,    on   our  Metropole   (St.    Joseph,    Mo.)    and   Hotel  Balti- 

market.       Whatever    you     ship,    we     will    en-  more     (Kansas     City,     Mo.)     (Jan.     30,     1903): 

deavor  to  get  the   very   highest  market   prices  "Kindly    quote    me    prices    on    squabs   by    the 

for.      All    you    have    to    do    is    to    have    the  dozen.      I    have    been    using    about    two    hun- 

feathers  picked  off."  dred   per   month   and   expect  to   use   more.     If 

CLEVELAND        MARKET.— The        steward's  your  prices  are   right,  you  will    hear  from  me 

department     of    the     Union     Club,     158    Euclid  jn    a    few    days."       (Signed)    E.     G.    Venable, 

avenue,     Cleveland,     Ohio,     sends    the     follow-  steward. 

ing   letter  under   date   of   Feb.    13th,   1903:      '  E.    Klidey,    the   New    Coates   House,    Kansas 

am  in  receipt  of  your  letter  of   yesterday  and  City)    Mo-    (jan_    29,    1903):      "We    are    using   a 

beg    to    say    regarding    your    questions    about  few   squabs   which    we    buy    from   the   commis- 

squabs,   that  they  are  worth  to  us  from   $3   to  Sjon    men    here    aj    $2.50    per    dozen.     Let    me 

$3.50    per     dozen     for     the     best    and     largest  know  what   price   you  want   for  yours  and   we 

squabs    either    dressed    or    in    the    feather."  may    be    abie    to    use    eight    or    ten    dozen    a 

W.    H.    Bennett,    proprietor   of   Oyster  Ocean  week." 

Cafe,     368     Superior     street,     Cleveland,     Ohio  D.     P.     Ritchie,     steward    Hotel    Baltimore, 

(Feb.    12,    1903):      "I    use   about   one   and   one-  Kansas  City,  Mo.    (Feb.   6,   1903):     "Your  favor 

half  dozen   squabs  a  week.     Price  averages   $3  Of  Jan.   27  received.     We   pay  $2.75   per   dozen 

per  dozen   the   year  through."  for     fancy     squabs     delivered,     with     feathers 

W       H.      Seager,      Sheriff      street      market,  on." 

Cleveland,  Ohio  (Feb.  12,  1903):  "I  purchase  OUR  PIGEONS  GOING  AROUND  CAPE 
squabs  when  offered  in  this  market  and  have  HORN. — We  have  sent  our  breeding  stock 
sent  to  California  for  them  on  special  occa-  about  everywhere,  but  one  of  the  most  curi- 
sions.  The  market  price  varies  from  $2.40  Ous  orders  we  ever  had  is  from  Captain  Lane 
to  $4  per  dozen."  of  the  ship  Kennebec,  which  arrived  in  Bos- 
Gibson  Pinkett  Company,  Fulton  market,  ton  in  November,  1902,  from  Seattle,  with  a 
21-25  Prospect  street,  Cleveland,  Ohio  (Feb.  cargo  of  lumber.  At  this  writing  (Feb.  18, 
12,  1903):  "We  buy  squabs  and  pay  what  1903),  Capt.  Lane  is  making  arrangements 
they  are  worth.  Price  runs  from  $2.50  to  $4  with  us  to  supply  him  with  a  breeding  out- 
per  dozen.  We  could  use  fifty  dozen  or  more  fit  of  our  Homers,  which  he  will  instal  on 
today."  his  ship  so  that  on  his  long  return  voyage 

KANSAS    CITY    MARKET.— The    market    for  to    San    Francisco    (or    Seattle)    he    will    have 

squabs   here    is   steadily   improving.      Here    are  fresh    squab    meat    regularly.      Capt.  .Lane    is 

some   letters    bearing   on   the    subject:  part    owner    of    his    big    ship    and    Is    accom- 

From    James    R.    Peden    &    Co.,    404    Walnut  panied    by   his   wife    and    young   son.      He    hs.8 

street,     Kansas     City,     Mo.      (Jan.     26,     1903) :  visited   our  place    and    knows   about   our  birds 

"Send     your    squabs     to    me.       I    have     good,  and   our  methods. 

steady    demand    for    them    and    will    take    all  SQUABS    IN    NEW    MEXICO.— Here    In    the 

you    can    offer.      Top    prices   paid,    or    handled  east  we  would   not  look  upon   New  Mexico   as 

in    commission."       (Mr.     Peden     ships    squabs  a    fancy    market    for    squabs,     but    here    is    a 

..:>  New   York   city  and   other   points  east.)  letter    from    a    customer    in    Albemarle,    New 

W.    M.    Woods,    produce    company,    stalls  J2  Mexico,    which   proves  that    he    is    getting   in- 

and  13  west   side,    City   Market,    Kansas   City,  terested    (Jan.    29,    1903):      "The    pigeons    you 

Mo.    (Jan.  26,    1903):      "The  market  for  squabs  sent  me   on   the   20th  were   received   yesterday 

is    good.      Prices   range    from    $1    to    $1.50    for  in    excellent   condition,    and    am    well    pleased 

common  stock   and   from   $1.80  to   $2  and   $2.25  with    them.      Please    find    enclosed     a    money 

for  fancy.     I  am  sure   you  will  find  a  market  order   for   thirty   dollars,    for   which    send    me 

for  your  squabs   and   if  they  come    up   to  the  twelve  more   pairs   of  your  extra   mated   thor- 

mark   you   have    set   for   them,    will    command  oughbred    adult    pigeons.      Ship    as    Before    by 

a    much    better    price.      Kansas    City    market  Wells   Fargo   express." 


144          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


SOUTHERN  MARKET.— Our  breeding  Stock 
has  gone  to  every  state  in  the  South.  If  you 
live  in  any  part  of  the  South,  you  can  market 
squabs  as  readily  as  poultry  is  marketed. 
One  of  our  Southern  customers,  who  lives  in 
Citronelle,  Alabama,  has  been  to  Boston  to 
see  us.  Under  date  of  January  30,  1903,  he 
writes:  "I  have  received  Homers  from  two 
others,  but  they  do  not  compare  with  yours. 
I  will  build  my  second  house  very  soon  as 
the  first  one  is  filling  up  fast." 

LONG  DISTANCE  SHIPMENTS.— To  all 
inquirers  we  wish  to  state  again  emphati- 
cally that  we  certainly  do  guarantee  the  safe 
arrival  of  every  bird,  no  matter  in  what  part 
of  the  world  you  live.  We  are  learning  all 
the  time  how  to  handle  the  long  distance 
shipments  best  and  experience  has  taught  us 
little  wrinkles  about  the  baskets  and  the 
arrangements  of  the  feed  and  water  dish.es 
which  are  valuable.  The  express  messengers 
get  their  instructions  not  from  guesswork  or 
from  written  notices  or  tags,  but  from  a 
board  a  foot  square  on  which  is  printed  in 
bold  type  the  necessary  directions.  This 
winter  (1903)  we  have  shipped  every  week  "to 
California.  One  order  of  200  pairs  for  Santa 
Ana,  California,  filled  seventeen  baskets. 
Of  the  400  birds,  only  one  turned  up  dead, 
but  as  we  had  sent  along  four  more  pairs 
than  the  order  called  for,  we  were  seven 
birds  ahead  on  the  count.  Another  large 
shipment  to  San  Rafael,  California,  in  Janu- 
ary, 1903,  brought  back  by  return  mail  .the 
following  letter,  which  we  print  exactly  as 
we  got  it,  word  for  word,  and  altogether  it  is 
one  of  the  best  recommendations  for  us  to 
people  who  live  at  a  distance  that  we  ever 
received: 

"Yesterday,  A.  M.  (Jan.  20th)  at  8.30  we 
received  your  letter  advising  us  of  the  ship- 
ment of  100  pairs  of  Extra  Mated  Homers,  on 
Jan.  14th;  advising  also  that  the  pigeons 
would  reach  us  before  the  letter.  Well,  they 
did  not  arrive  until  4.30  today,  Jan.  21  (7) 
seven  days  on  the  road.  We  notice  that 
seven  days  is  also  required  to  get  your  ship- 
ments to  Los  Angeles;  and  when  you  assume 
that  they  will  reach  here  at  or  before  the 
receipt  of  notice  of  shipment  we  think  you 
are  mistaken.  Nevertheless,  be  this  as  it 
may,  the  birds  reached  us  tonight  at  5.30, 
every  bird  in  first-class  shape — every  indi- 
vidual one  being  in  first-class  shape;  giving 
evidence  of  being  shipped  in  perfect  condition 
and  having  plenty  of  feed  and  water  en 
route.  Your  feed  ran  short,  as  evidenced  by 
charges  of  40  cents  made  by  express  com- 
pany for  feed  provided  by  them,  which  we" 
are  only  too  glad  to  pay,  and  at  same  time 
shows  care  and  attention  of  express  company 
messengers — a  good  fault.  Every  bird  in  the 
lot  is  bright  and  active,  and  they  come  into 
a  first-class  home,  a  fine  house  and  flying 
pen,  plenty  of  feed  and  a  galvanized  iron 
pan  6  inches  deep  with  water  4  inches  deep 


running  constantly.  Dimensions  of  pan,  4 
feet  6  inches  by  2  feet  10  inches,  guarantee- 
ing plenty  of  bathing  facilities.  They  were 
liberated  after  dark,  but  the  early  morning 
will  afford  all  the  bathing  facilities  they  will 
need,  and  we  prophesy  they  will  embrace  the 
opportunities  afforded  at  first  opportunity. 
We  wish  to  compliment  you  on  your  prompt 
methods  of  doing  business,  and  on  the  su- 
periority of  the  birds  shipped  us.  They  were 
indeed  high  class  birds,  in  fact,  Mr.  Rice, 
they  are  better  stock  than  we  expected  _to 
receive.  Your  sending  us  4  extra  pairs  above 
order  was  a  graceful  act  on  your  part,  one 
which  we  fully  appreciate,  and  thank  you 
right  here  for  it.  Your  shipment  was  nearly 
a  week  before  we  expected  it,  but  by  extra 
exertion  we  got  all  ready  in  time  and  they 
have  a  fine  home.  Express  charges  at  $14  p.er 
hundred  Boston  to  San  Rafael,  270  Ibs.  weight 
of  shipment,  amounted  to  $37.80  plus  40  cents 
for  feed,  $38.20  total,  at  merchandise  rate. 
Still  at  rate  given  in  your  circular  $4  for  24 
birds  (12  pairs),  this  is  too  much  by  a 
margin.  $4  rate  to  San  Francisco  per  12 
pairs  is  not  just  correct,  still  we  are  not 
kicking,  for  the  difference  is  not  very  much. 
Note  this,  201  birds  came  out  of  those  bas- 
kets, now  we  are  sure,  absolutely  sure  of 
the  count;  two  people  kept  count  as  each 
bird  was  liberated  and  201  birds  came  out 
of  the  crates.  If  idO  pairs  are  mated,  what 
will  we  do  for  that  poor  lone  bird?  We 
await  for  suggestions;  pretty  tough  on  that 
lone  bird,  3,500  miles  from  home,  but  he  or 
she  is  here  sure.  In  conclusion  we  thank 
you  for  your  promptness,  your  honesty  and 
your  fair,  square  dealing  and  will  keep  you 
posted  as  to  our  progress  as  per  your  sug- 
gestion. We  thank  you  for  the  crates;  they 
are  fine.  We  wrote  you  yesterday  and  look 
for  reply  in  accordance  with  your  usual 
promptness." 

We  sent  the  above  letter  to  Mr.  R.  H. 
Dwight,  agent  for  the  Wells-Fargo  Express 
Company  in  Boston,  and  he  was  quite  as 
pleased  as  we  were.  Through  Mr.  Dwight' s 
co-operation  our  through  western  shipments 
by  the  Wells-Fargo  have  been  a  remarkable 
success.  The  only  difficulty  we  have  ever 
had  on  account  of  long  distance  trade  came 
when  we  were  shipping  in  crates,  not  bas- 
kets. We  sent  a  large  order  into  San  Fran- 
cisco and  on  the  way  four  of  the  crates  were 
broken  into  by  rough  handling  and  fort£- 
two  birds  got  away.  The  Wells-Fargo  Ex- 
press Company  settled  with  us  for  the  loss 
of  those  birds  and  we  made  good  to  the 
customer,  sending  the  missing  birds  on,  and 
the  customer  was  out  not  a  cent  for  further 
express  charges,  for  the  Wells-Fargo  people 
carried  the  birds  deadhead. 

The  baskets  in  which  we  now  ship  cannot 
be  broken  open  except  with  the  aid  of  an  axe 
and  they  can  be  thrown  ten  feet  across  a 
depot  platform  without  being  injured. 


APPENDIX   A  145 

There    is    a    minor    criticism    in    the    above  know    of   his    experience.      His    letters  are    at 

letter  in   the  matter  of  express   charges.     Ac-  our    Boston    office,    where    they    may    be    seen, 

cording   to   the   figures   which  we   give    in   the  We   will    not  give   his  name   by   mail   because 

circular    headed     "Express    Rates,"     the    cus-  he  is  a  customer,   but  if  you  think  the  above 

tomer   should   have    been   asked   to    pay   about  letters  are  made   up   by  us,    you   write   to   the 

$33,    instead  of   $37,    as   he   did   pay.      We    be-  Boston    office    of    Dun's    or    Bradstreet's    com- 

lieve  the  figures  which  we   give   to   be   correct  mercial    agencies    and    ask    for    one    of    their 

fn     every     case— the     slignt     variation     which  men   to    be    sent   to   our   office    to   investigate, 

may  come   as*  it  came  in  this  case    is   due  to  PIGEON      MANURE. — Our     advice      in     the 

the    fact   that   no    two   persons   will    weigh   up  Manual    as    to    pigeon    manure    has    interested 

the   same   lot  of  goods   exactly   the   same,    and  pigeon    breeders   all    over   the    country,    nearly 

that,    of    course,    the    birds    vary    in    weight,  all   of   whom  say  that   they   never   have   taken 

The   weight  when  the    shipment   starts  is  less  pains   to   save   it,    and   when   it    got  too   thick 

than    when    it    finishes,    because    at    the    end  they   have    scraped    it   up    as   best   they    coul* 

the    bottoms   of    the    baskets   are    covered    with  and  used  it  for  fertilizer.     They  want  to  know 

manure.      (The   grain   which   we   send   for  feed  how    we    keep    it    pure,    and    all    about    the 

is    not    weighed   in   and  charged   for   transpor-  market,   etc. 

tation.)      If    the    waybill    is    lost    or    delayed,  The  pigeon  breeder  who  does  not  make  pfo- 

and     the     agent    at    destination     weighs     the  vision   for  the   purity  of   the    manure   and  the 

shipment,    he   will   get  a   greater   weight,    and  steady   sale   of   it   is  just   throwing   bank  bills 

consequently   a   higher   rate,    than   the    express  straight    into    the    fire.      We    have    erected,  a 

employee    who   weighed   the    shipment  here   jn-  special    building    at    our    place    for    just    the 

Boston.  manure,    and    take    every    precaution   to    keep 

We   wish    to    say   further   that   if   you    think  the    manure    free    from   straw,    sawdust,    sand, 

we   have  figured   the   express   rates  to   you   too  etc.     The   building   stands  at  the   back  of   one 

low,    send    us    money    which    we    claim    to    be  of  the  long  houses,   and  about  halfway  in  the 

correct   and    we   will   prepay   all   charges,    thus  whole    plant,    so    that    we    can    reach    it  easily 

putting  on   ourselves    and  not  on  you   the   dif-  with    a    wheelbarrow    from   the    houses.      There 

ference.    if  there   is  any.  is  a  slide   cut   in   the   north   wall   of  what   we 

COMMON    PIGEONS   AGAIN.— We    have    had  call    No.    2     squab    house,     and    through    this 

some   of   the   old-time    raisers  of    squabs   from  slide      the     manure     is     shovelled     from     the 

common   pigeons   on   the   ranches    in   the    Mid-  wheelbarrow     (standing     in     the     passageway) 

die  West  write  us  for  more   proofs  that  Horn-  directly    into     the     manure    house,     where     it 

ers   are   ahead    of   common   pigeons.  stays    until    there    is    from    $50   to    $100    worth 

In     reply     we     will    print     here    the     letter  of    it,    when   we    bag    it   up    and    send   it   off. 

which  we    received    in   January,    1903,    from,  a  First    we    take   the    wheelbarrow    empty    down 

customer   as   follows:  a   passageway   and    stop    at   a   unit   pen,    then 

"I     have    for    sale    between    four    and    five  go    into   the    unit    pen    with    a    bushel    basket 

hundred    pen    fed    common   pigeons.      Can    you  and    scrapers.     We   use   a   trowel   to   clean   off 

use    them,    and    at    what    price?      Should    you  the    nest-pans,     a    tree-scraper    to     clean    out 

not    be    in    a    position    to   use    them    yourself  the    nest-boxes   and    a    hoe    or    a    floor    chisel 

probably    you    could    refer    me    to    some    one  (same    as   is   used   to   clean   off    snow   and    ice 

that    is   in   the   market   for    some    fine   pen   fed  from   city  sidewalks),    six   inches  wide   at   the 

birds.      The     Homers    which    I     purchased    of  blade  and  with  a   long  handle    so  that  it  can 

you    some    time    last    summer    are    doing    very  be  used  easily  while  the  operator  is  standing, 

nicely,  and  have  to  make  more  room  for  them  In    scraping    the    floor,    the    manure    rolls    up 

is    the    reason    of   wanting    to    dispose    of    my  with     little     exertion    off     the     blade     of    the 

common   birds.      Thanking  you   in   advance  for  chisel.        It     is      shovelled     into     the     bushel 

favor   asked."  basket    and    the    basket    taken    out    into    the 

We    asked    him    to    tell    us    if    he    had    not  passageway    and    dumped    into    the    wheelbar- 

found  our   Homers   more   profitable    than   com-  row.     It  takes   one   man  not  over  thirty   min- 

mon   pigeons.      He   replied   as   follows:  utes    to     clean     a    pen     thoroughly    and     the 

"In  reply  to  yours  will  say  that  your  state-  product  of  each  pen  is  between  two  and  three 
ment  of  the  Homers  being  more  profitable  bushels,  or  from  $1.20  to  $1.80  for  half 
than  the  common  birds  is  true,  as  the  fact  an  hour's  work,  which  is  pretty  good  pav. 
has  been  demonstrated  to  me  in  the  past  (We  have  been  getting  in  the  winter  of  1903 
five  or  six  months,  by  my  experience  of  hav-  sixty  cents  a  bushel  from  the  American  Hide 
ing  the  two  lots  side  by  side  in  senarate  and  Leather  Company  of  Lowell,  Mass.)  We 
pens.  My  common  birds  referred  to  are  fijie  ship  the  manure  by  freight  in  bags.  We  buy 
birds  and  will  sell  them  F.  O.  B.  at  $2.50  per  these  bags  when  we  can  from  farmers  who 
dozen,  which,  taking  the  plumpness  of  the  have  large  herds  of  cows  and  who  use  con- 
bird  in  consideration,  is  very  reasonable."  siderable  grain,  and  they  let  the  bags  go  for 

The    above    breeder    lives    in    Missouri    and  one   and   two   cents  apiece.      Second-hand   bags 

we    expect  to   sell   a   good   many  of  our  Horn-  in   the    Boston   junk   shops    cost   from   four   to 

ers    to    him    and    to    those    in    his    state    who  n'ne    cents    apiece.      The    leather    people    let 


146 


APPENDIX   A  147 

the  bags  pile  up  and  then  send  them  back  tomers  to  ship  to  Lowell.  We  have  always 
to  us  in  a  "bunch.  We  are  particular  to  save  found  the  leather  people  square  in  measuring 
not  only  the  manure  in  the  unit  pens,  but  the  manure,  in  fact  they  have  given  us  credit 
in  the  sorting  and  mating  cages  and  coops,  on  two  or  three  occasions  for  more  than  we 
We  cover  the  floors  of  these  cages  with  bur-  thought  we  had.  They  pay  after  you  have 
lap,  not  tacking  the  burlap  down,  but  sent  your  bill  of  lading  and  the  report  of 
stretching  it  over  three  finish  nails  tacked  the  measurer  has  gone  to  the  New  York 
at  the  bacKS  of  the  cages  and  two  nails  office.  You  need  not  be  afraid  of  swamping 
tacked  at  the  front  of  the  cages.  The  the  leather  trust  with  pigeon  manure.  They 
manure  cakes  and  dries  on  the  burlap  as  it  will  take  all  you  can  scrape  up.  They  use  it 
would  on  the  floor.  When  there  is  a  layer  to  take  the  hair  off  the  raw  hides,  and  it  is 
about  half  an  inch  thick,  all  tramped  hard,  said  to  be  the  only  substance  which  will  do 
dry  and  odorless  by  the  constant  hammering  this  job  thoroughly  without  injuring  the 
of  the  feet  of  the  birds,  we  take  the  burlap  hide.  Chemicals  which  are  used  as  substi- 
off  the  nails  and  stretch  it  outside,  bottom  tutes  when  pigeon  manure  cannot  be  had  are 
up,  then  sprinkle  water  on  the  back  and  said  to  be  injurious  to  the  hide, 
the  manure  drops  off  in  large  cakes.  The  We  write  the  above  to  help  you  sell  the 
burlap  then  is  dried  and  replaced.  This  manure  from  your  squab  houses.  Do  not 
method  saves  an  immense  amount  of  time  ask  us  to  advise  you  further  on  this  point, 
which  otherwise  would  be  consumed  in  for  we  cannot.  If  you  cannot  find  a  tannery 
scraping  the  floors  of  the  cages.  We  have  -within  shipping  distance,  try  the  florists. 
108  of  these  cages  at  the  farm  and  in  our  We  are  informed  that  the  florists'  exchange 
Boston  shipping  room,  each  capable  of  hold-  in  New  York  city  Is  a  good  place  to  sell 
ing  from  12  to  20  pairs  of  birds,  and  we  have  pigeon  manure,  and  customers  near  that 
burlap  carpets  on  all  of  them.  We  use  a  city  have  told  us  that  they  are  selling  there, 
large  amount  of  burlap  not  only  for  this  SQUABS  IN  THE  POULTRY  PRESS. — The 
purpose  but  for  small  grain  bags  to  go  with  magazines  devoted  to  poultry  are  beginning 
orders  for  breeders  to  distant  points,  and  to  take  up  squabs  on  account  of  the  in- 
also  for  the  floors  of  our  shipping  baskets,  creasing  interest  shown  by  poultrymen  in 
We  buy  this  burlap  in  large  rolls  weighing  the  subject.  In  the  Poultry  Keeper  for  Nov. 
150  pounds  and  containing  from  300  to  320  15th,  1902,  appeared  a  contribution  by  A.  P. 
square  yards.  We  do  not  hem  it  or  sew  it  in  Spiller.  After  giving  the  general  arrange- 
any  way  for  the  cages,  simply  cut  it  and  in  ments  for  caring  for  the  birds,  he  says:  "At 
stretching  it  over  the  nails  fold  the  raw  about  four  weeks  of  age  the  squabs  are 
edges  under.  ready  for  market.  Some  markets  require 

Having  read  the   Manual,   you  know  that  we  them      dressed,      others     only     killed.        Good 

do    not    use    sand    or    sawdust    in    our    squab  breeding    pigeons    will    hatch    and    rear    from 

houses,     so    we    are    able    to    deliver    manure  six  to  eleven  pair  of  young  a  year.     The  cost 

which    is    absolutely   pure.      The    tanneries    do  to  keep  a  pair  of  breeders,  including  the  rais- 

not    like    to    get    lots    of   impure    manure    and  ing    of    the     young,     at     the    present    time    is 

of    course     pay     more    for    the    unadulterated  about    eighty    cents    a    year,    this,    of    course, 

article.     It  is  just  as  easy  and  more  business-  varying     some     with     location     and     cost     of 

like    to    keep    this    by-product    pure.  feeding    stuff.      Wild    game    birds    are    becom- 

The    manure    in    the    houses    has    no    odor,  ing    more    scarce     each    year.      The    properly 

but    when    we    have    got    it    scraped    up    and  raised   squab   pigeon   comes   nearer   taking   the 

banked   in    the    manure    house,    it   gives    forth  place   of  these   wild  birds   than   anything  else, 

a     pungent,     ammonia-like     smell.       As     the  That   they  make   fine   eating,    those   who    have 

manure    house    is    entirely    cut    off    from    the  eaten    them    can   not   deny.      There    is    always 

squab    houses    by    the    slide    in    the    passage-  a     ready     sale     for     good     plump     squabs     at 

way,     this    pungency    does    not    trouble    any-  hotels,    restaurants,   markets   and  private   fam- 

one.     It  is   not  a  nasty  smell,    anyway.  ilies,    prices    ranging    from    $2.50    to   $4.50    per 

We  have  had  customers  from  as  far  off  dozen,  depending  upon  quality  and  season, 
as  Illinois  write  that  they  were  quite  When  one  begins  to  raise  pigeons  it  is  better 
charmed  with  our  story  about  the  manure,  to  try  to  secure  strains  from  some  reliable 
and  that  they  were  saving  up  bags  of  it  to  breeder  who  has  stock  bred  along  profitable 
ship  by  freight  to  the  American  Hide  and  lines.  There  is  a  difference  in  regard  to 
Leather  Company  at  Lowell,  Mass.  This  breeding  and  feeding  qualities  and  results 
tannery  is  a  branch  of  the  Leather  Trust,  obtained  which  warrants  the  paying  of  a  lit- 
which  has  other  tanneries,  so  use  your  wits  tie  more  at  the  start  in  obtaining  more 
and  find  out  which  tannery  is  nearest  you,  profitable  stock.  The  writer  is  in  favor  of 
and  ship  to  that  one.  If  you  can  find  a  the  straight  Homer,  carefully  selected  as  to 
tannery  not  in  the  trust,  sell  to  that,  if  you  size,  shape,  breeding  and  feeding  qualities, 
wish  to.  If  you  sell  to  a  trust  tannery,  the  as  it  is  well  known  that  the  Homer  pigeon 
check  which  pays  you  will  come  from  the  is  one  of  the  best  feeders  and  breeders  of 
New  York  office  of  the  trust,  same  as  ours  any  variety,  and  the  numbers  they  will  pro- 
do.  We  recommend  our  New  England  cus-  duce  in  a  year  more  than  balance  any  slight 


148          NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 

advantage  that  may  be  obtained  in  size,  them  to  us.  In  the  winter  of  1902  we  received 
The  breeding  of  pigeons  is  fascinating  to  a  clipping  from  the  New  York  Evening  Sun 
most  people.  It  is  true  there  are  some  of  Feb.  28,  1902,  in  which  white  squabs  were 
losses,  but  with  care  and  some  experience  quoted  at  $5  a  dozen  and  dark  squabs  at 
in  management  the  few  losses  that  occur  to  $3.50  a  dozen.  We  are  told  that  the  New 
the  beginner  may  be  reduced  to  a  very  small  York  Evening  Sun  prints  every  Friday  even- 
percentage.  The  work  is  light  and  not  as  ing  a  household  market  column  giving  quo- 
exacting  as  in  some  other  lines,  affording  a  tations  on  squabs. 

lucrative  employment  almost  from  the  start  The  Rural  New  Yorker,  an  old-established 
to  those  who  are  not  strong,  as  well  as  to  and  progressive  farmers'  weekly,  printed  the 
the  most  robust.  A  flock  once  mated  will  following  quotations  for  squabs  as  whole- 
give  but  little  concern  to  their  owner,  as  sale  prices  ruling  Feb.  6,  1903:  "Squabs 
they  remain  constant  for  life  regardless  of  prime  large  white,  per  dozen,  $3.75;  mixed, 
the  numbers  contained  in  the  flock,  and  for  $2.75  and  $3;  dark,  $2  and  $2.50." 
years  will  amply  repay  in  profit  and  pleas-  The  Albany  (New  York)  Express,  on  Feb. 
ure  for  the  feed  and  care  given  them."  9,  1903,  printed  the  following  quotations: 

We    wish    to    call    the    special    attention    of  "Squabs,    native,    $5;    Philadelphia  squabs,    $5 

our    readers    to    that    portion    of    the     above  per   dozen;    pigeons,    $1.50    per   dozen." 

article  by  Mr.    Spiller  where  he   says  that  the  The    Chicago    Tribune,     on    March    10,    1902, 

cost   of   a.  pair  of   breeders   is   eighty   cents   a  printed    the    following    quotations:       "Squabs, 

year.     We  say  the  cost  is   sixty  cents  a  year,  prime,    large,    white,    per   dozen,    $3." 

In     his     article,     Mr.      Spiller     says     nothing  The    St.    Louis    Republic,    on    Dec.    2,    1902, 

about    keeping    the    pigeon    manure    free    from  printed    the    following    quotations:       '"'Squabs, 

dirt    and    selling    it   to   tanneries.      This   must  white,     choice,    dozen,     $2.75    and    $3;    mixed, 

be   done   in  order   to   hold   the   feed   bill    down  $2.25  and   $2.50;   prime    dark,    $1.87   and   $2." 

to     its     lowest     notch.       We     say     that     the  The    San    Francisco    Chronicle,    on    April    2, 

manure   will   pay  one-third    of   the  grain   bill,  1902,       printed       the       following       quotations: 

and     taking     Mr.     Spiller's    figure     of     eighty  "Pigeons,    young,    $2.50   and   $2.75;    ditto,    old, 

cents,    and    deducting    one-third    from    it,    we  $1.50    and    $1.75." 

have    as   the    net    cost   fifty-three    cents.  SQUABS    IN    THE    STATE    OF    WASHING- 

We  asked  one  of  our  friends  living  in  TON.— The  squab  raisers  in  New  Jersey,  New 
West  Newton,  Mass.,  to  ask  Mr.  Spiller  if  York  and  Pennsylvania  are  very  well  satis- 
his  estimate  of  cost  was  made  when  he  was  fied  with  the  New  York  and  Philadelphia 
saving  the  manure  and  selling  it  to  tanner-  markets  for  squabs,  and  we  have  done  con- 
ies. Mr.  Spiller  replied  by  letter  as  follows  siderable  talking  about  the  New  York  niar- 
under  date  of  Feb.  16th,  1903:  "No,  the  ket  ourselves,  but  let  us  tell  you  that  tie 
manure  was  not  taken  into  consideration  at  market  for  squabs  on  the  Pacific  Coast  is  a 
all.  I  do  not  know  what  the  tanneries  pay  fine  one,  too.  Here  in  the  East  we  think 
for  it."  Seattle  is  a  long  way  from  home  and  you 

The   owners  of  large   flocks   of   common  pig-  may    find     some    city    chaps    around    us    who 

eons    in    the    West    who    are    breeding   squabs  think   that    city    is    but   just   on    the    edge    of 

for    market    do   not    sell    the    manure    and    for  the  tall  timber.     If  you  live  out  in   Michigan, 

this   reason   they   lose   an   important   source    of  Illinois,    Minnesota,    Indiana,    Ohio,    Kentucky, 

revenue.        It      is     remarkable      to      us      th.it  or   any    state    in    that    section,    you    ought    to 

pigeons  pay  with   them  at  all.     Certainly  the  feel   pretty   sure   that   the   markets   for   squabs 

manure    is    a   very    important   by-product,    and  around    you    are    good,    after    you    have    read 

you    should    figure    on    selling   It    just    as    you  -what  we  are  going  to  tell  you  here  about  the 

figure   on    selling   the   squabs.  market  for  squabs  in  Seattle  and  its  vicinity. 

NEWSPAPER      MARKET      QUOTATIONS.—  These    letters    were    obtained     for    us    by  "a 

Only    a    few    of    the    daily    newspapers    of    the  customer  who   lives   near  Seattle: 

country  are  in  the  habit  of  printing  regularly  Fulton    Market,    corner    Second    avenue    and 

market    quotations     on    squabs.       The     Boston  Columbia     street,     Seattle,     Wash.     (Feb.     11, 

Globe    has   an    article   about   once   a    week   for  1903):      "Yours   at    hand    and   will   say  that   if 

the   information   of  the  household  and  in   this  your  birds  are   as  you  say,   we  can   use  on  an 

article     squabs     are     regularly     quoted.       A-t  average    of    twenty    dozen    per    week    at    $2.50 

Thanksgiving    time,     1902,     the    Globe    quoted  per  dozen,    feathers  on." 

squabs   at    from    $4    to    $5  per   dozen.      In   the  A.    D.    Blowers   &  Co.,   817-819   Western   ave- 

Globe   of  Feb.   14th,   1903,    squabs   were   quoted  nue,    Seattle,    Wash.    (Feb.    12,    1903):      "Your 

at  $4.50  and  $5  per  dozen.      If  our  New   Eng-  valued    favor    to    hand    regarding    squabs.      In 

land  customers  will  buy  a  copy  of  the  Friday  reply   will   say  that   most   of   the   squabs  used 

or  Saturday  Globe  each  week,    they  will  prob-  in    this   city   are    brought   from    the    east    and 

a'bly    find    this    household     article     containing  held     in    cold    storage,     so    that    native    birds 

the    quotations    for    squabs    on    one    of    those  will    no    doubt    sell    much    better    than    thia 

days.  article.      We    have    made    some    inquiry    about 

Our     customers     sometimes     cut     from     the  them   and   find   that   it   will    be   no   trouble    In 

newspapers    quotations    for    squabs    and     send  selling    four    to    six    dozen    a    week,    and    no 


APPENDIX   A  149 

doubt   many   more,    as    the    trade    would    open  Williams    Bros.,     Gilt    Edge    Cafe,     Everett, 

up.      We    do    not    think    there    is    anyone     in  Wash.    (Feb.    12,    1903):      "In    reply    to    yours 

this    part    of    the    country    who    raises    them  will   say,    I   cannot  say  at  present    how   many 

for    sale,    and    think    if    you    can    produce    a  squabs    I   can    use,    but    will    start    with    two 

good    article    that    you    will    have    no    trouble  dozen    a    week,    picked,    at    $2.50    per    dozen, 

whatever  in  selling  them  here.     The  price  for  Ship  as  soon  as  you   please  and  will  look  the 

eastern    squabs    is    $2.25    to    $2.50    per    dozen,  market   up   for   you    in  the   meantime." 

Some    of    the    customers   prefer    to    have    them  Gordon    &    Co.,    commission    merchants,    811 

plucked,   others  alive.     We  think  it  would  be  Western     avenue,     Seattle,     Wash.     (Feb.     13, 

better,     perhaps,     in     the     first    shipment     to  1903):    "Replying   to   your  letter   will   say  that 

send    them    alive    until    a    regular    trade    was  we    have    telephoned   to   several   of    the    hotels 

established.        Our      commission      for      sellipg  and    restaurants    here    that    would    be    apt    to 

them  will  be  ten  per  cent,   of  the  gross  sales,  use   squabs   and   we   find   that  there   are    some 

If  you  have   any  nice   ones,    it   would   be  well  places   that   make    a   specialty    of    using   them 

for  you   to  send  two  to   four  dozen  along   and  and    we    do    not    believe    we   would    have    any 

see   what   we   can   do   with   them   for   you."  trouble    in     disposing    of     them    nicely.      We 

(It  is  better  to  ship  squabs  killed  and  prop-  would    suggest    that    you    send    down    a    small 

erly   cooled.     Do  not  send  them  alive   to  your  box   of   them   and    let   us    show    the  customers 

market.      Few    butchers    in     the     commission  just    what    they    are    and    find   out    just    what 

men's   employ   understand  how  to    kill  and  cool  they  will   be  willing    to  pay  for  them.     They 

a  squab  right.     Do  your  own  killing  and  cool-  have   been   selling  recently   for  25  cents   each, 

ing   and    packing   as  we   have    given   you   pre-  If   you   care   to    make   this  shipment,    we   will 

cise   directions  and  you  will   know  (not  guess)  be  glad  to  get  it." 

that    your   product    is    reaching    the    consumer  Seattle  Market,   Cor.   First  avenue  south  and 

in   perfect    condition.)  Washington    street,    Seattle,    Wash.    (Feb.    10, 

Palace   Market   Co.,    Second   avenue,    Seattle,  1903):       "In    reply    to     yours    would    say,     it 

Wash.    (Feb.    11,   1903):     "Squabs   such  as  you  would    be  a   good   idea  for  you   to   ship   us  in 

speak  of  would  be  worth  20  to  25  cents  each,  two  or  three  dozen  squabs  for  sample,   I  could 

Would    prefer   the    feathers    on.      We    can   use  get  the   hotel  and   restaurant   people's  opinion 

all   you   have."  on  price   and   quality    and   be   able   to   talk   to 

California    Commission    Company,    923   West-  you   on   quantity.      Eastern  frozen    squabs   are 

ern    avenue,    Seattle,    Wash.    (Feb.    11,    1903):  selling    on    this    market    for    $2    to    $2.25    per 

"Your     favor    to    hand     and     contents    noted,  dozen.     If   your  stock   is  as  you  say,   I   think 

In    reply    we    beg    to    state    that    squabs    are  it     would     be     a     better     seller    than     frozen 

selling  from  $2.50   to   $3.50  per  dozen,    accord-  goods." 

Ing   to    the    quality   of   the    birds.      We    want  Mai  son  Barberis,   restaurant  and  dining  par- 

them   with    the    feathers    on    and    not    drawn,  lors,     204-210     James     street,     Seattle,     Wash. 

You    may   ship    us   two   or   three   dozen    for    a  (Feb.    11,    1903):    "We    will  take    thirty   dozen 

trial  and   then   we  will   be  better  able  to  tell  squabs  every  month;   have   them  plucked,    and 

what   we   can   do   for   you   and   see  how    many  will    pay    you    $3    per    dozen.      Please    answer 

we    can    handle    at    a    time.      Our   commission  and    say    about    what    day    of   the    month    you. 

is   ten   per  cent,    on   all    goods.     We    are   cer-  will  send    them   in." 

tain  that   we  can   give   you   entire   satisfaction  E.    C.    Klyce   &  Co.,    commission   merchants, 

and    know    that    our    business     methods    will  906  Western   avenue,    Seattle,   Wash.    (Feb.    13, 

please    you.      We    make    prompt    returns    and  1903):    "Yours  regarding  squabs  to  hand.     We 

keep   shippers  well  posted   on  the  market  con-  have    investigated    the    market    here    and    find 

ditions.      Trusting    to    be    favored    with    your  a  good  many  of  the  first-class  hotels  and  cafes 

further   valued   orders."  will    take    them    at   very    fair   figures.      There 

C.    W.    Chamberlain   &   Co.,    905-907   Western  seems  to  be  a  variance  of  opinion  as  to   what 

avenue,      Seattle,      Wash.      (Feb.      13,      1903):  they  will  pay,   but  we  presume  that  the   sup- 

"Yours  of  the  9th  at  hand  and  contents  fully  ply   has    been    very    limited,    and    they    would 

noted.       Squabs,      such     as      you     mentioned,  pay  just  about   whatever  the   seller  would  ask 

would   sell   here  for  about   $3  per  dozen.     Our  in  order  to  get  them.     We   think  the  averrge 

selling    charge    is    ten    per    cent.      Twelve    to  price  would  be  about  $2.50  to  $2.75  per  do^en. 

fifteen    dozen    per   week   could    be    disposed    of  Of     course     there     would     be     some     bidding 

from     present     information     at     hand.       They  among  the   different  buyers  in  case  they  were 

should  be  shipped  alive."  scarce,    and    we    might    get    more    for    them. 

J.    F.     Gayton,    steward    Ranier    Club    (this  We    have    immediate    access    by    'phone    and 

club   is   composed    of   the  richest   men   of    Se-  salesmen    with    all   our    customers    who    serve 

attle),    Seattle,   Wash.   (Feb.   13,    1903):     "I  am  squabs    for    short    orders    or    otherwise.       By 

in     receipt     of    your    letter    with    regard     to  this  means  you  would  be   in  close  touch  with 

squabs.      Yes,    I    want    some     squabs    at    any  the   people   most   in   need   of  them   and    would 

time.      Will    be    glad    to    have    them.      I    will  always  try  to  get   you   top   notch   prices.     We 

take   a  dozen   at  25   cents  each,   either  dressed  believe  this   is  a   good   investment   for  you  to 

or  undressed,    three   dollars   per  dozen.      After  grow    them    for    this    market.      Of   course    you 

I  see   the  first  birds  I  can  tell  whether  I  can  would   have    to    start   in    and    graduate    up    to 

take   them   regularly."  find   how    large   the   volume    of   trade    will   be 


VIEW  FROM  PASSAGEWAY. 


VIEW  FROM  INTERIOR  OF  SQUAB  HOUSE. 

Above  are  two  views  of  a  model  made  to  illustrate  what  we  call  the  dowel 
system  of  feeding  and  watering.  It  is  a  great  time-saver  in  a  long  house.  Between 
the  floor  of  squab  house  and  the  lowest  tier  of  nest  boxes  is  one  foot  space.  Fill 
this  space  with  three-eighths  inch  doweling  set  one  and  one-half  inches  apart,  as 
pictured.  (This  doweling  comes  in  any  length  from  a  carpenter  and  is  very  cheap.) 
Set  galvanized  drinker  and  feed  trough  as  shown.  The  trough  has  a  three-quarter 
inch  slot  in  its  bottom  so  that  the  grains  will  fall  into  position  ready  for  eating  on 
the  back  side  of  the  bottom  strip  into  which  the  dowels  are  driven.  The  birds 
stick  their  heads  through  the  dowels  to  eat  and  drink,  and  cannot  foul  either  grain 
or  water.  Push  a  wheelbarrow  with  grain  along  the  passageway  and  a  house  one 
hundred  feet  long  can  be  attended  to  in  fifteen  minutes.  Without  this  arrangement, 
if  you  go  into  each  unit  pen  to  feed  and  water,  you  will  use  up  at  least  an  hour,  and 
it  will  be  harder  work.  By  this  method  you  need  enter  the  breeding  pens  only  when 
killing  or  cleaning  times  come. 


150 


APPENDIX   A  151 

that    we    can    command    you    on    them.      Any-  at   that,    you   to  pay  the   express,   I  should   be 

thing    in    the    way    of    game,    fowls    or   meats  glad    to    have    same." 

are    staple   sellers   at  good   prices."  Duquesne   Club,    Pittsburg,   Penn.      (Feb     1] 

Hamm    &    Schmitz,     Hotel    Butler,     Seattle,  1903):      "Wish    to    know,    if   you    have   squabs 

Wash.    (Feb.    12,    1903):      "In    reply    to    yours,  of  first  quality,   should   you   have   about  three 

will    say    that    we    could    use    three    dozen    a  dozen   on    hand,    I   would    pay   you   per   dozen 

week  of  the  squabs  and  will  pay  three  dollars  squabs    plucked   and    delivered,    from   $3.50    to 

per     dozen     for     plucked     birds,      laid     down  $3.75    per    dozen.      If    price    suits    you    please 

here."  let    me    know."      Signed    by    E.     Max    Hein- 

The    above    letters    indicate   to    us   that   peo-  rich,    superintendent. 

pie     in     the     state     of     Washington     who     eat  Lincoln     Hotel,     Lincoln,     Nebraska.       (Feb 

squabs    have    to    pay   from    $3    to    $4    a    dozen  16,   1903):     "Replying  to   your  letter.     We  can 

for    the    cold    storage,    frozen    kind.      Poor    as  use   about   two  dozen  squabs  per  week  in  our 

these    are    (they    are    the    lightweight    squabs  cafe    at    present.      Will    pay    $2.50    per    dozen 

of    common    pigeons)    they    are    in    active    de-  delivered    here,    feathers    on." 

mand.     Of  course  the  consumers  would  pay  as  Hoted   Victoria,    Pittsburg,    Penn.      (Feb.    18, 

much,    and    no    doubt    more,     for    fresh-killed  1903):      "In    regard    to    your    letter,    will    say[ 

squabs  bred  from  our  fine  Homers.     The  com-  we   use   about  one   dozen  or  one    and   one-half 

mission     men     are     certainly     eager     to     get  dozen  per  week,   just  depends  on  the  business, 

squabs.      They    are    willing    to    pay    from    $2  and    will    pay   $3.50   per  dozen    delivered    here 

to    $3.50    per   dozen.      They    resell    them    at   a  at  the  hotel." 

profit.  Fred    Harvey,    general    office,     Union    Depot 

The    above    letter    from    E.    C.    Klyce   &   Co.  Annex,    Kansas   City,    Missouri,    Chicago   office 

is  sensible   and  could  well  be  written  by   any  Cor.      17th      street    and      Wentworth      avenue, 

commission    firm    in   any    state    in   the   Union,  (Feb.    14,    19Q3) :     We   can   use   15    to   20   dozen 

or    by    any    commission    firm    anywhere    that  squabs   per  week    if    the    birds    are    very    nice 

sells    poultry,     eggs     and     butter.       Wherever  and  the  price  reasonable.     Can  use  them  with 

there  is  a  sale  for  hens  and  chickens,   dressed  feathers   on.     Do   not   know   what    we   can   af- 

or  with  feathers  on,  there  is  a  sale  for  squabs  ford  to  pay,   it  depends  entirely  on   the   birds, 

at    higher    prices    not    only    because    they    are  If    you    will    please    send    three    dozen    squabs 

a    greater     delicacy,     but    also    because     good  by    Santa    Fe    baggage    car    to    Kansas    City, 

eaters    everywhere    know    they    are    a    greater  charging  them   at   such   a  price    that  you   can 

delicacy,   and  expect  to  pay,  and  do  pay,   more  afford  to  furnish  them,   I  will  use  them  as  a 

for   squabs,    pound   for   pound,    than    they   pay  sample.      If   the    birds    are    not    of    the    right 

for  hens  and   chickens,    geese   and    turkeys.  quality  and  the   price  is  too  high,  we  will  not 

We    ship    to    Seattle    by    the    fastest    express  need  any  more,   but  if  the  birds  and  price  are 

trains.      The    birds    go    from    Boston    to     St.  right,    we    can    use    quantity    given   above.      I 

Paul   (Minnesota)    by  the  Wells-Fargo   Express  enclose   baggage   car  shipping  bill;   be   careful 

Company.      At    St.    Paul    the    birds    are    taken  to   fill  it   out  Correctly.     This  bill   is  made  in 

by     the     Northern    Pacific    Express     Company,  duplicate:    you   hold    one   copy  as  your   receipt 

which    has    charge     of    them    to     destination,  and    the    other    goes    with    the    birds.      Please 

Every    express    messenger    in    the    employ    of  put   the   squabs   in   a   small   box  with  a    little 

these    two    companies    on    this    long    route    has  ice." 

handled  our  shipments  and  made  a  fine  Hotel  Savoy,  Ewins-Childs  Hotel  Co.,  pro- 
record,  and  is  trained  to  the  work  of  feeding  prietors,  Kansas  City  Missouri.  (Feb.  16, 
and  watering  all  sizes  of  shipments.  Our  1903):  "What  is  your  lowest  price  on  best 
Seattle  trade  can  be  sure  that  their  ship-  squabs  In  five  dozen  lots?  We  are  not  in  the 
ments  will  be  treated  right  and  will  reach  habit  of  stnding  out  of  town  for  our  sup- 
them  in  perfect  condition.  That  is  what  we  plies,  but  if  you  have  something  better  than 
guarantee.  we  can  get  here,  it  is  possible  that  we  can 
MORE  LETTERS.— Here  are  more  letters  do  business  with  you."  (Signed  by  George 
from  squab  buyers,  unclassified,  as  they  came  Thompson,  steward). 

to  us  in  the  first  part  of  February,   1903:  Frank     E.      Miller,      superintendent     Dining 

Allyn    House,    Hartford,    Conn.      (February,  Service.     Missouri,    Kansas    &   Texas    Railway 

1903):       "In    answer    to    yours    will    say     we  system,     No.     707    Chestnut    street,    St.    Louis, 

are   continually   using   squabs.     We   buy   them  Missouri.       (Feb.     16,     1903):       "I    have    your 

plucked   in  all  cases.      We   pay  all  prices,   ac-  favor  relative  to  squabs.     It  is  proper  for  you 

cording  to  size,  age,  and  condition  when  re-  to  state  the  price  per  dozen.  We  occupy  eight 
ceived.  They  run  from  $2.25  to  $3.25  per  or  ten  large  dining  stations  and  requi^  a 
dozen.  Sometimes  the  market  is  a  little  large  number." 

higher."  Hollenden  Hotel,  Cleveland,  Ohio.  (Feb.  19, 
Russell  House,  Detroit,  Michigan.  (Feb-  1903):  "In  reply  to  your  letter  making  in- 
ruary,  1903):  "In  reply  to  your  letter  would  quiry  regarding  squabs  I  will  state  that  we 
say  that  we  use  quite  a  few  squabs  here.  Am  are  paying  $3.00  per  dozen  for  nice  dressed 
paying  at  present  $2.50  per  dozen  for  squabs.  We  do  not  buy  any  unless  they  are 
splendid  stock.  If  you  care  to  send  me  any  fully  dressed,  no  feathers  on." 


152 


NATIONAL  STANDARD  SQUAB  BOOK 


Louis  A.  Fisher,  Manager  Century  Club, 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  (Feb.  17,  1903):  "We  buy 
all  our  squabs  in  New  York  as  the  prices  of 
three  and  four  dollars  per  dozen  prevailing 
in  this  city  are  too  high — that  is,  we  buy 
cheaper  in  New  York  than  here." 

A.  S.  Barnett,  steward  Morton  House, 
Grand  Rapids,  Michigan.  (Feb.  11,  1903): 
"In  reply  to  your  inquiry  in  regard  to 
what  we  would  pay  for  squabs  such  as  you 
have,  we  are  paying  $2.25  per  dozen.  Should 
you  consider  our  price  an  object,  would  be 
pleased  to  learn  how  many  you  could  fur- 
nish a  week." 

Hotel  Schenlen,  Pittsburg,  Penn.  (Feb.  10, 
1903):  "Your  squabs  must  be  according  to 
the  weight  and  you  should  find  a  ready  mar- 
ket for  such  stock.  Nice  white  squabs  are 
bringing  $3.50  today." 

Hotel  Rider,  Cambridge  Springs,  Penn. 
(Feb.  11,  1903):  "We  can  pay  you  $2.25  per 
dozen  for  genuine  squabs  (no  pigeons)  de- 
livered here.  Can  use  six  or  eight  dozen 
at  a  time,  but  we  do  not  want  anything  but 
young  birds." 

E.  A.  Goodrich  &  Co.,  commission  mer- 
chants, 103  South  Water  street,  Chicago, 
Illinois.  (Feb.  13,  1903):  "Your  favor  at 
hand.  If  you  mean  fat  young  pigeons  that 
have  left  the  nest  and  can  fly,  they  are 
worth  75  cents  to  $1  per  dozen,  and  the  trade 
wants  them  alive.  (This  is  the  way  the 
trade  in  Boston  wants  them,  but  they  pay 
more).  If  you  mean  nestlings,  or  very  young 
pigeons  which  have  not  left  the  nest  and  are 
unable  to  fly,  we  can  get  you  $2  to  $2.25  per 
dozen,  dressed  neatly.  Either  kind  is  good 
sale  at  prices  named  and  can  handle  for  you 


any  quantity  from  five  dozen  to  one  hundred 
dozen.  If  nestling  tie  in  one-half  dozen 
bunches  packed  in  ice  and  ship  by  express." 

A  FINAL  WORD.— Our  object  in  printing 
the  letters  from  marketmen  and  other  squab 
buyers,  in  this  appendix,  is  to  convince  any 
intelligent  man  or  woman  that  there  is  a 
market  for  him,  provided  he  goes  to  raising 
squabs,  no  matter  where  he  lives.  We  have 
hundreds  of  similar  letters  on  hand,  but  we 
have  not  room  to  print  all,  and  we  think  we 
have  printed  enough.  If  you  are  not  con- 
vinced by  what  we  have  printed  that  there 
is  a  paying  market  for  squabs  within  five 
hundred  miles  of  you,  do  not  write  to  us  and 
ask  us  to  tell  you  the  names  and  addresses 
of  squab  buyers  in  your  town  or  city,  or 
your  county,  for  that  we  may  not  be  able  to 
do,  but  sit  down  at  your  writing  desk,  or  go 
out  in  person,  and  find  out  for  yourself. 

It  is  unnecessary  to  argue  the  squab  mar- 
ket within  anyone  of  common  sense  who 
lives  east  of  the  Mississippi  and  Missouri 
rivers,  and  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  within 
shipping  distance  of  Denver.  If  you  live  in 
a  barren  territory  or  a  foreign  country,  and 
wish  to  take  up  this  subject  with  us,  we 
will  reply  to  the  best  of  our  ability,  but 
remember  that  you  are  on  the  ground,  and 
can  find  out  such  facts  for  yourself  better 
than  we  can  tell  you. 

This  Manual  is  intended  to  te  a  book  of 
facts,  backed  up  by  evidence.  If  anybody  has 
any  additional  facts  as  to  squabs  which  will 
improve  this  Manual,  we  will  be  glad  to  con- 
sider  same,  and  will  pay  for  them  if  ac« 
cepted. 


APPENDIX  B 

(Copyright,   1906,  by  Elmer  C.  Rice) 

In  1907,  we  expect  our  trade  to  be  even  greater.  In  1906,  we  sold  more 
birds  ard  supplies  than  in  any  previous  year.  That  our  trade  is  larger  than 
that  of  all  others  combined  is  not  an  idle  boast,  but  is  very,  much  of  a  fact,  due 
to  this,  namely,  that  we  sell  Homers  which  are  larger,  more  prolific,  and  which 
breed  larger  squabs,  than  any  others.  This  supremacy  we  intend  to  maintain. 

We  offer  additional  proof  in  the  following  pages.  For  every  letter  which 
we  print  here,  we  have  a  dozen  just  as  good,  or  better.  '  The  following  letters, 
only  a  part  of  many  received  in  nine  months  of  1906,  are  not  from  customers 
merely  pleased  by  the  fine  appearance  of  the  birds  on  arrival,  but  are  accounts 
of  breeding  which  has  won  success. 

There  are  some  very  strong  letters  here.  All  are  worth  reading  for  the 
practical  information  and  news  they  give  of  the  squab  industry  up  to  date. 
We  do  not  print  the  names  and  addresses  of  these  customers.  Many  are 
regular  buyers  'of  our  birds.  We  guarantee  the  genuineness  of  the  letters, 
and  will  prove  it  in  any  way  desired.  The  originals  are  at  our  Boston  office 
and  may  be  seen  there. 

We  ask  your  trade  for  1907  by  deserving  it.  If  anybody  tries  to  make  a 
sale  to  you  by  "  running  down  "  competitors,  insist  that  he  or  them  demon- 
strate the  worth  of  claims  by  furnishing  proof  in  volume  and  character,  con- 
cerning birds,  matings  and  management,  equal  to  the  letters  we  print  here 
and  in  our  other  publications. 


OUR  LARGEST  1906  ORDER.     In  looking  birds   had   a   long   trip   to   reach   him.     We 

back  over  our  year  of  business,  1906,  we  recall  expect  to  sell  him  more  yet,  judging  from  his 

first  an    order    from    a    customer  whom  we  last  letter.     We  will  be  pleased  to  show  the 

started  in   1905,   with   120   pairs    Extra,  for  correspondence    at    our    Boston    office.     The 

which  he  paid  $300.     We  sent  him  125  pairs,  point  we  wish  to  make  is,  that  we  are  the  only 

five  pairs  free.     A  year  later  we  received  the  firm    anywhere    actiaally    filling    orders    this 

following  telegram  from  him:  size,  or  able  to  fill  them,  and  that  we  earned 

"  Wire  bottom  prices  for  one  thousand  pairs  the  confidence  of  this  customer  by  giving  him 

Extra,   including   two   thousand   nappies   and  his  first  lot  of  birds  so  good  that  he  kept  on 

date  you  ship."  trading    with    us.     More     1906    experiences 

We  quoted  him  our  regular  price  for  Extras,  follow, 
the  same  to  all,  namely  $1.70  per  pair  in  large 

lots  of  300  pairs  and  over.     Our  customer  was  STARTED  WITH  SIX  PAIRS  EXTRA  AND 

a    man    of    few    words    and    knew    what    he  IN  TWO  YEARS   RAISED   SIX  HUNDRED 

wanted.     Three    days   after   sending   us   the  AND    THIRTY-SIX    SQUABS.     Nearly    two 

above    telegram    he    sent    us    the    following  years  ago  (in  October,  1904),  I  purchased  of 

letter:      "  Enclosed  find  draft  for  $2111.25  as  your  firm  six  pairs  of  your  best  Extra  Homer 

payment    in    full    for    1150    pairs    Extra    and  pigeons,  from  which    I    have    been  breeding 

supplies.     I  trust  you  will  exert  every  care  in  since,  and  it  may  be  of  interest  to  you  to  have 

interest   of   shipment.     You   will   please   hold  some  particulars  as  to  results.     I  should  pre- 

the  birds  until  May  10,  as  it  will  crowd  me  to  mise  by  saying  that  I  was,  at  the  time   a  nov- 

get  my  quarters  ready  before  that  time."  ice  pure  and  simple— as  a  matter  of  fact  a 

We  shipped  1200  pairs,  giving  the  customer  lawyer  by  profession — and  knew  absolutely 

50  pairs  free.     He  lives  in  the  West  and  the  nothing  of  the   care   or  culture   of  pigeonsy 

153 


1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY  WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE    PLYMOUTH    ROCK    SQUAB    COMPANY   OF   BOSTON    IN  NINE  MONTHS  OF   1906 


However,  study  of  your  squab  book,  close  and 
constant  observation  of  the  birds,  their  habits, 
etc.,  with  the  resultant  experience,  enable  me 
to  get  along  pretty  well. 

My  pigeon  house  was  not  originally  in- 
tended or  constructed  for  that  particular  pur- 
pose, but  had,  hitherto,  been  used  for  a  hen 
house.  It  is  about  40  feet  by  12  feet,  with 
five  windows.  Along  the  whole  of  the  wesb 
front  and  extending  across  the  south  end  I 
built  a  fly  10  feet  wide,  12  feet  high  and  about 
70  feet  long.  My  flock  has  hatched,  up  to  th? 
time  of  writing  this,  six  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  squabs  (636),  without  those  consumed  at 
my  own  table,  but  I  contemplate  marketing 
the  squabs  this  fall  as  the  overcrowding  stage 
is  rapidly  approaching. 

If  you  can  find  time  I  shall  be  glad  to  hear 
whether  or  no,  in  your  expert  opinion  and  in 
the  above  circumstances,  you  think  that  I 
have  been  fairly  successful.  Although  I  feel 
reasonably  satisfied  with  my  progress,  were  I 
to  start  again,  ab  initio,  I  think  that  I  should 
dp  so  with  a  complete  flock  of  fully  matured 
birds  rather  than  waste  the  time  consumed 
raising  stock,  by  breeding,  to  a  business 
basis.  Wishing  you  continued  success. — W. 
C.,  Massachusetts. 

DOING  GREAT  WORK.  The  Homers 
which  you  sold  me  two  years  ago  are  doing 
great  work.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with 
them. — F.  S.,  New  York. 

TOOK  FRIEND'S  ADVICE.  Enclosed  find 
an  order  for  birds  and  supplies  with  remit- 
tance. A  friend  here  was  much  pleased  with 
pur  birds  from  your  lofts  and  decided  to  go 
into  the  business.  We  prevailed  on  him  to 
order  from  you  because  we  felt  your  birds  were 
the  best.  He  could  have  bought  here  in 
Illinois  at  a  much  cheaper  rate  but  he  took 
our  advice.  So  we  trust  you  will  do  well  by 
him  and  trust  you  will  send  us  another  order 
blank  like  the  one  enclosed. — Mrs.  K.,  Illinois. 

MULTIPLIED  SIX-FOLD.  About  two 
years  ago  next  June,  I  bought  of  you  60  pairs 
of  your  Extra  selected  Homers  and  they  were 
a  very  fine  lot  of  birds,  and  I  have  raised  a 
very  fine  lot  of  birds  from  them .  I  have  about 
400  birds  now,  and  they  are  straight  bai 
wing  and  mottle  "vith  the  exception  of  about 
eight  chocolate. — A.  C.,  New  Jersey. 

GETTING  THREE  DOLLARS  A  DOZEN. 

Please  send  me  your  new  literature  on  squabs. 
I  bought  18  pairs  of  you  in  1903  and  now  have 
a  flock  of  190  birds  and  am  getting  $3.00  for 
my  squabs  in  St.  Louis.  If  any  one  in  this 
section  writes  to  you  for  squabs  you  may  refer 
them  to  me. — F.  L.,  Missouri. 


NEIGHBOR  PLEASED.  Your  favor  of  the 
21st  to  hand,  also  price  list  of  $1.70  for  Extra 
Homers  in  300-pair  lots.  Mr.  J.  A.  Westen- 
dorf,  of  this  city,  purchased  of  you  on  a  trial 
order  five  pairs  of  Extra.  Why  cannot  you 
make  me  the  $1.70  rate  for  50,  100  or  200-pair 
lots?  In  going  over  my  buildings  I  find  that 
I  cannot  accommodate  300  pairs  so  would  not 
like  to  order  that  number  for  fear  of  being  too 
crowded. 

Mr.  Westendorf  is  pleased  with  his  birds 
and  if  the  birds  you  should  send  would  be  the 
equal  of  those  I  would  be  more  than  satisfied. 
— A.  S.,  Missouri. 

ENTIRELY  SATISFACTORY.  Please  send 
me  the  feeding  slip  that  you  have  published 
as  your  daily  feeding  ration.  The  birds  we 
got  from  you  are  entirely  satisfactory. — J.  D., 
Pennsylvania. 

RECOMMENDED  BY  ANOTHER.  Will 
you  kindly  let  me  know  how  I  can  expect  to 
receive  birds  ordered  from  you  to  be  sent  to 
the  above  address?  I  have  been  recom- 
mended to  try  your  birds  by  Mr.  R.  Warner, 
of  9  DuBois  Avenue,  and  if  you  can  guarantee 
safe  shipment  I  will  place  an  order  with  you 
as  soon  as  I  hear  to  this  effect.  And  if  they 
are  as  you  represent  them,  I  shall  be  a  regular 
customer  of  yours.  If  you  will  give  me  the 
desired  information,  you  will  greatly  oblige. — 
G.  S.,  New  York. 

THIS  SHOWS  WHAT  A  CUSTOMER  DID 
WITH  TWELVE  PAIRS  OF  OUR  BIRDS. 

My  Extra  Plymouth  Rock  Homers  have  done 
finely.  I  sent  to  Boston  $30  for  12  pairs. 
The  birds  arrived  before  I  expected  them  and 
they  all  looked  fine.  I  got  my  first  egg  March 
21,  1905.  I  raised  all  of  my  young  to  increase 
the  flock  for  one  year  and  found  at  the  end  of 
the  year  that  I  had  271  young  birds,  all  seam- 
less banded,  and  as  fine  a  lot  as  I  ever  have 
seen.  This  year  I  am  selling  squabs  and 
mated  pairs,  raising  my  best  young,  and  have 
already  sold  squabs  and  mated  pairs  which 
have  to  date  netted  me  $60.  I  have  sold  my 
squabs  for  $3  a  dozen,  and  mated  pairs  for 
$2.50  a  pair. 

I  now  (September  10,  1906),  have  400  birds 
that  I  have  raised.  A  good  lot  of  them  are 
worthy  to  be  put  in  the  show  pen,  and  if  they 
were  they  would  be  among  the  winners. 

When  I  went  into  the  pigeon  business  I 
bought  what  I  thought  was  the  best  stock  to 
be  obtained,  namely,  Extra  Plymouth  Rock 
Homers,  and  my  flock  shows  that  I  did  not  go 
wrong,  for  every  one  that  has  seen  my  birds 
pronounces  them  the  best  lot  they  have  ever 
seen  together. 

My  birds  now  are  in  the  midst  of  moult, 
but  most  of  them  are  breeding  right  along. 


These  are  strong  letters.     Read  them  over.      You  want  some  assurance,  when  you  buy 
pigeons,  that  you  will  be  treated  right,  as  these  customers  were. 

154 


1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH    ROCK    SQUAB    COMPANY    OF    BOSTON    IN  NINE  MONTHS  OF  1906. 


I  now  have  95  mated  pairs  at  work  and  as  soon 
as  the  moult  is  over  I  snail  begin  mating  again. 
By  November  I  expect  to  have  50  pairs  more 
mated  and  at  work. 

I  feed  tne  best  of  grain,  using  cracked  corn, 
kaffir  corn,  red  wheat,  buckwheat,  a  little 
hemp,  and  during  the  moult  sunflower  in  the 
head  letting  the  birds  pick  cff  the  seed  as  they 
like. 

I  use  the  self  feeder  Mr.  Rice  describes  in  his 
Manual  and  I  find  with  it  the  feed  is  always 
clean.  I  never  feed  on  floor.  I  use  automatic 
water  fountains  and  scald  them  out  every  two 
or  three  days.  I  give  the  birds  a  good  clean 
bath  every  day. 

I  have  trays  to  feed  any  dainty  which  I 
have,  removing  trays  when  seeds  are  eaten. 

One  thing  that  is  essential  with  pigeons  is 
cleanliness.  I  clean  loft  every  Saturday, 
cleaning  out  nests  that  have  young,  putting 
in  new  straw,  and  spraying  over  lofts  with 
liquid  disinfectant. 

I  have  followed  the  instructions  of  Mr. 
Rice's  Manual  and  found  it  to  be  good  solid 
advice. 

In  the  past  18  months  I  have  been  in  a  good 
many  pigeon  lofts  and  have  seen  exhibits  at 
New  York  State  Fair  and  Rochester,  N.  Y., 
Pigeon  Shows,  and  never  have  seen  any  better 
birds  than  I  have  raised  from  the  Extra 
Plymouth  Rock  Homers. 

I  am  perfectly  satisfied  with  what  my  birds 
have  done  and  when  I  buy  more  they  will 
surely  be  Extra  Plymouth  Rocks. 

The  feed  bill  will  not  exceed  eighty-five 
cents  a  year  per  breeding  pah*.  I  use  tobacco 
stems  for  nesting  material  and  like  them. 
I  shall  always  try  and  speak  a  good  word  for 
the  Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Company,  for  I 
have  found  them  always  ready  to  assist  at  any 
time. — W.  R.  R.,  New  York. 

THEY  HAVE  NOT  LOST  A  BIRD.  I  wrote 
to  you  some  time  ago  in  regard  to  the  squabs 
we  got  from  you  in  the  month  of  May,  or 
rather  pigeons,  50  pairs,  and  have  yet  to  lose 
our  first  bird,  which  not  only  speaks  well  for 
your  birds  but  it  looks  as  if  we  are  giving  them 
the  right  attention. 

There  is  one  thing  we  wrote  to  you  about, 
those  not  working — but  they  are  doing  fine 
and,  counting  your  birds,  we  have  100  pairs, 
besides  we  have  sold  some  which  were 
greatly  admired. 

The  hotel  we  take  them  to  in  Washington 
gives  seventy-five  cents  a  pair  all  the  year 
round  dressed,  the  commission  merchants 
never  higher  than  60  cents  a  pair. — M.  B., 
Maryland. 

MANUAL  INDISPENSABLE  TO  SUCCESS. 

In  regard  to  the  National  Squab  Book  which 
you  publish,  would  ask  if  you  ever  revise  it. 


The  one  I  purchased  of  you  in  May,  1904,  is 
all  right  and  I  could  never  have  raised  the 
number  and  quality  of  squabs  I  do  without  its 
guidance.  Of  course  you  are  learning  new 
points  about  your  business  and  if  you  have  a 
later  edition  than  mine  please  let  me  know. 

The  Homers  have  started  in  on  their  annual 
spring  campaign  and  from  all  appearances 
they  are  going  to  outdo  their  former  produc- 
tions. With  best  wishes  for  your  continued 
success.— A.  T.,  Ohio. 

HIGHLY  RECOMMENDED  TO  HIM  BY 
OTHER  CUSTOMERS.  Some  time  ago  I 
wrote  your  company  for  their  free  book  on 
squab  raising.  Later  I  sent  for  your  National 
Standard  Squab  Book.  I  have  read  each  one 
from  start  to  finish  and  am  well  pleased  with 
them.  I  have  made  up  my  mind  to  give  the 
squab  business  a  trial  as  I  am  quite  sure  that 
there  is  money  in  it,  if  properly  conducted. 

I  realize  that  to  make  a  success  of  any 
business  one  must  thoroughly  understand  it. 
As  I  have  had  no  experience  in  this  line  I  wish 
to  start  in  with  a  small  number  and  increase 
them  as  I  grow  to  understand  the  business. 

My  plan  is  to  buy  12  pairs  of  the  very  best 
breeders  that  I  can  obtain  and  keep  only  the 
best  of  their  increase  for  breeders  till  I  get  my 
flock  to  the  desired  size.  Now,  from  reading 
your  books  and  having  you  highly  recom- 
mended to  me  by  other  parties,  I  have  made  up 
my  mind  that  you  can  give  me  what  I  w  ant  in 
this  line.— H.  B.,  Illinois. 

FROM  FOUR  PAIRS  TO  THIRTY  PAIRS 
IN  NINE  MONTHS.  Nine  months  ago  I 
bought  of  you  four  pairs  of  Extra  Homers. 
I  had  to  move  them  twice  to  make  room.  I 
have  now  60  first-class  Homers.  I  have  had 
several  chances  to  sell  some  of  the  squabs 
but  I  think  too  much  of  them.  By  studying 
your  manual  carefully  I  have  not  lost  a  bird. 
Prom  a  friend  of  your  Homers. — W.  M.,  New 
York. 

NO  DISEASE.  You  no  doubt  have  my 
name  on  your  books  as  a  purchaser  of  10  pairs 
Extra,  which  I  purchased  of  you  last  winter. 
I  am  still  enthusiastic  over  the  industry.  I 
have  all  the  original  1 1  pairs  you  sent  me  and 
33  young,  all  the  offspring  of  your  birds,  55 
birds  in  all.  They  are  every  one  in  finest 
condition,  disease  has  never  touched  my  flock. 
— J.  P.,  Virginia. 

FIVE  MONTHS  IN  CALIFORNIA.  When 
I  received  those  birds  from  you  in  March  I 
turned  them  into  a  pen  and  have  been  so  taken 
up  with  other  work  that  they  have  been  left 
to  themselves  until  now.  At  present  I  am 
taking  all  the  working  birds  out  and  banding, 
and  when  they  have  young  squabs  I  have 


Beware  of  anybody  who  tries  to  make  a  sale  to  you  by  running  down  the  Plymouth  Rock 
Squab  Co.     Insist  that  he  show  you  letters  like  these  in  proof  of  his  claims. 

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STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH   ROCK  SQUAB    COMPANY    OF   BOSTON   IN   NINE    MONTHS   OF   1906. 


moved  them  also,  putting  them  in  a  corres- 
ponding section  in  the  other  pen,  the  arrange- 
ment of  the  pens  being  the  same.  I  find  that 
the  old  birds  find  their  young  and  go  right  on 
keeping  house  just  the  same  as  before  they 
were  moved.  At  present  I  have  100  young 
birds,  the  oldest  being  less  than  five  months 
and  already  at  work.  The  squabs  are  fully 
developed  and  out  of  the  nest  at  three  weeks. 
I  expect  to  have  about  80  or  90  pair  of  birds 
at  work  about  the  first  of  November.  Then 
I  shall  begin  to  ship. — E.  R.  C.,  California. 

GETTING  ALONG  IN  VIRGINIA.  Please 
ship  by  freight  to  us  six  drinking  fountains 
and  six  bath  pans.  We  got  some  birds  of  you 
last  year.  They  have  done  very  well. 
Thank  you  for  the  advice — P.  N.,  Virginia. 

GENEROUS  TREATMENT  OF  CUSTOM- 
ERS. Your  letter  of  May  21  was  most  satis- 
factory and  certainly  very  generous.  I  hope  I 
made  it  very  plain  to  you  that  you  were  not  at 
all  to  blame  for  the  loss  of  one  of  my  pigeons. 
Your  offer  to  replace  it  free  of  charge  was 
quite  in  keeping  with  my  impression  as  to 
your  very  generous  treatment  of  your  cus- 
tomers. I  have  at  last  found  that  the  lost 
pigeon  was  a  female  and  if  you  think  a  white 
pigeon  would  be  well  received  by  my  colony 
of  three  checkered,  I  would  like  to  have  a 
white  female  Extra  Homer  pigeon.  My 

6'geons  are  in  fine  order  and  doing  well. — 
rs.  H.  C.,  Georgia. 

LOST  ONLY  ONE  SQUAB  IN  FIVE 
MONTHS.  Five  months  since ,  come  the  12th , 
I  received  of  you,  by  express,  13  pairs  of  your 
Plymouth  Rock  Homers.  Up  to  date  I  have 
lost  but  one  squab  (and  I  think  he  was  killed 
by  a  dislocation  of  the  neck),  possibly  10  eggs, 
several  by  frost.  I  have  54  squabs,  most  of 
them  able  to  take  care  of  themselves,  and 
seven  pairs  of  eggs.  Three  pairs  of  young 
ones  have  hatched  and  begun  to  build  their 
nests.  Now  I  wish  to  ask  you  if  you  think 
they  are  doing  well.  I  do,  and  I  am  proud  of 
my  intelligent  birds.  I  am  now  preparing 
to  remove  all  young  ones  from  the  pen  except 
those  that  are  mated  and  then  as  fast  as  the 
others  mate,  to  do  as  you  say,  put  them  into 
the  breeding  pen.  I  shall  also  build  on 
another  unit  to  my  breeding  pen  in  a  short 
time,  as  I  figure  on  110  birds  in  my  present 
house. 

I  wish  I  was  financially  able  to  put  in  a  good 
plant  as  these  birds  have  demonstrated  their 
fecundity.  I  notice  you  say  that  there  is 
little  liability  of  nest-makers  mating.  I  have 
not  discovered  any  with  the  few  I  have.  I 
have  just  gone  through  the  nest  boxes  with 
whitewash  containing  a  good  per  cent  of 


carbolic  acid  and  vitriol  solution.  I  clean 
out  houses  often  and  so  far  have  not  had  a 
sick  bird.  Occasionally  I  put  ginger  in  the 
drinking  fount  and  I  firmly  believe  it  is  by 
following  your  plain  and  definite  instruction 
that  they  keep  as  well. 

I  hope  I  am  not  trespassing  on  your  valu- 
able time  but  cannot  resist  telling  you  how  I 
am  getting  on  with  your  stock. — W.  G.  P., 
Wisconsin. 

CONVINCED  AFTER  TRIAL.  I  have  de- 
layed in  writing  you  as  I  wanted  to  see  how 
the  birds  were  going  to  turn  out.  Can  say 
now,  I  am  more  than  pleased  with  the  birds. 
I  have  now  18  squabs  and  five  pairs  of  eggs. 
Three  squabs  died  and  six  eggs  went  to  waste. 
That  is  all  over  with  now.  Don't  expect  that 
to  happen  again.  As  far  as  I  can  see  squab 
raising  looks  to  be  very  simple  and  profitable. 
I  have  a  nice  clean  house  and  running  water 
so  the  time  spent  is  nothing.  Enclosed  you 
will  find  my  check  for  12  pair  Extra  more. — 
J.  S.,  Washington. 

GETTING  FOUR  DOLLARS  A  DOZEN 
FOR  SQUABS.  Please  send  me  as  speedily 
as  possible  25  pairs  of  Extra  Blue  Homer 
Pigeons.  I  have  now  about  125  pairs  of  birds 
bred  from  the  original  20  pairs  I  bought  from 
you  about  18  months  ago  and  am  selling 
squabs  at  $4.00  a  dozen.  I  am  building  a 
coop  48  feet  by  14  feet  which  will  accom- 
modate about  600  birds  and  if  successful  will 
enlarge  my  plant  shortly. 

Will  you  kindly  supply  me  with  the  name 
of  the  large  Commission  house  in  New  York 
mentioned  in  your  circular?  The  original 
birds  were  bought  from  you  in  November 
1904  and  shipped  to  my  partner  in  the  busi- 
ness.— H.  B.,  New  Jersey. 

QUICK  TIME.  I  have  read  a  large  num- 
ber of  your  testimonials,  none  like  this  how- 
ever. Now  I  will  make  an  affidavit  that  I 
received  the  38  pairs  Saturday  morning,  put 
them  in  the  pen  by  ten  a.m.  I  gave  them  a 
few  tobacco  stems  from  a  crock  on  the  floor 
in  the  corner.  At!  five  p.m.  a  hen  laid  an 
egg.  She  laid  her  second  egg  to-day,  Monday, 
and  is  now  setting.  Can  any  of  your  cus- 
tomers beat  this? — S.  H.,  Illinois. 

THINKS  WE  ARE  TRUE  BLUE.     I     am 

giving  my  pigeons  occasionally  lettuce  or 
some  raw  cabbage,  which  they  most  heartily 
enjoy.  Is  this  conduct  prudent?  The  last 
batch  of  birds  you  sent  me  "Extra  selected" 
were  magnificent.  You  people  (The  Ply- 
mouth Rock  Squab  Company)  seem  to  be 
"true  blue."  '  I  like  to  deal  with  your  kind; 
don't  find  them  all  the  time.  Please  answer 


Is  there  anybody  in  your  town  who  has  failed  at  squab  raising?  Some  play  at  pigeons 
as  they  would  with  a  new  toy,  then  they  give  them  up.  If  they  bought  of  us.,  the  trouble  is 
with  them  and  not  with  the  pigeons. 

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1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY   WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH   ROCK   SQUAB   COMPANY  OF  BOSTON   IN  NINE    MONTHS   OF   1906. 


the  above  and  return  to  me.  Yours  well 
satisfied  with  your  treatment. — O.  J.,  Illinois. 

SUCCESS  IN  TEXAS.  In  October  1905 
I  purchased  from  you  25  pairs  of  birds  and 
since  that  time  I  have  had  fair  success  in 
raising  squabs.  I  have  about  175  young 
birds  on  hand  at  present.  They  are  all 
strong  and  healthy,  having  had  the  best  of 
care,  and  a  great  many  of  them  are  mating 
now.— W.  B.,  Texas. 

THANK    YOU    FOR   YOUR    LETTER.     I 

received  the  birds  all  O.K.  The  last  ones 
were  every  one  all  right,  as  were  the  first. 
A  thousand  thanks  for  your  kind,  courteous, 
and  prompt  treatment  in  all  our  business 
dealings  and  you  will  be  sure  to  hear  from  us 
again.  If  our  letter  will  help  you  any,  you 
are  perfectly  welcome  to  use  it.  Thank  you 
again. — J.  C.  H.,  Michigan. 

SELLING  MANURE.  Some  time  ago  I 
bought  24  pairs  Homer  Pigeons  from  you-. 
I  have  had  fairly  good  luck  with  them,  having 
increased  my  flock  to  about  200  pairs.  I 
want  to  write  you  in  regard  the  manure. 
You  state  in  your  National  Standard  Squab 
Book,  that  the  Leather  Trust  used  it  for 
tanning  purposes.  Now  I  have  considerable 
on  hand  and  I  wrote  them.  They  said  in 
reply,  that  they  did  not  use  it  at  all,  which 
was  a  surprise  to  me  as  I  have  been  careful 
in  saving  it. — W.  H.  H.,  Pennsylvania. 

Answer.  The  trust  does  use  pigeon  manure 
or  did,  the  last  we  knew.  We  shipped  to  one 
of  the  Lowell  plants  of  the  American  Hide 
and  Leather  Co.  for  three  years.  Perhaps 
your  letter  was  directed  to  one  of  the  plants 
of  the  trust  which  does  not  use  pigeon  manure. 
We  have  printed  so  long  the  fact  that  pigeon 
manure  is  salable  to  tanneries  of  the  trust 
that  the  New  York  office  of  the  trust  has  been 
bombarded  with  pigeon  manure  letters  for 
the  last  five  years  to  such  an  extent  that  they 
are  sick  of  the  topic  there  and  give  an  in- 
quirer poor  satisfaction.  For  some  time  we 
have  been  selling  our  pigeon  manure  to 
leather  men  whose  factories  are  within  ten 
miles  of  our  Melrose  plant.  Their  teams  call 
for  it  and  take  it  away  with  very  little  trouble 
to  us.  We  get  sixty  cents  a  bushel  for  it, 
same  as  usual.  If  any  customer  of  ours 
wishes  to  ship  manure  to  New  Jersey  or  New 
York,  we  will  help  him  to  find  a  buyer  there, 
as  we  have  letters  from  tanneries  in  both 
States  on  file  asking  us  to  sell  them  "pigeon 
pure." 

HIS  FLOCK  GROWING.  About  a  year 
ago  I  bought  some  birds  from  you,  some 
$2.00  per  pair  and  some  $2.50.  My  flock  is 


growing  and  seems  to  be  getting  along  pretty 
good,  having  now  180  birds — will  soon  have 
200  birds.  I  thought  I  would  try  and  sell 
some  now.  They  are  all  good  birds.  I  want 
to  try  and  sell  what  I  raise  now  and  if  possible 
make  a  business  of  the  squabs  if  there  is 
enough  in  it  to  warrant  putting  up  more 
buildings  and  getting  more  stock. 

It  costs  me  about  $1.90  per  week  for  feed 
for  this  amount.  Am  I  feeding  enough? — 
M.  N.,  Massachusetts. 

BUILT  NEW  HOUSE.  I  have  built  a 
new  house  for  my  pigeons.  Have  increased 
my  flock  from  the  original  six  pairs  to  50, 
besides  selling  30  pairs  of  squabs.  Could  I 
have  done  any  better  than  that  ? 

Have  been  having  some  trouble  by  a  few 
going  light  and  have  followed  your  advice 
and  think  have  got  the  better  of  the  difficulty. 
I  lay  the  trouble  to  the  poor  quality  of  wheat 
they  have  been  furnishing  me.  It  seems  to 
be  all  shrunk  up  and  they  don't  eat  half  of  it. 
— A.  D.  V.,  Pennsylvania. 

Answer.  More  pigeon  troubles  are  caused 
by  wheat,  or  too  much  of  it,  than  almost  any- 
thing else.  Squabs  which  are  thin  and  dark 
are  caused  by  too  much  wheat  in  the  ration. 
Pigeons  fed  on  too  much  wheat  get  thin,  with 
sharp  breastbones,  and  will  not  lay  as  they 
ought  to.  A  good  ration  of  Canada  peas  and 
hempseed  is  necessary  to  bring  eggs  and  keep 
the  flock  in  condition.  A  pigeon  will  not 
thrive  if  not  kept  in  condition  by  nourishing 
food.  The  results  of  too  much  wheat  are 
loose  droppings,  stupid  and  non-productive 
birds.  Pigeons  should  be  active  and  eager. 

IN  FINE  CONDITION.  My  birds  I  bought 
a  little  over  a  year  ago  (12  pairs)  are  still 
doing  fine;  have  sold  several  small  lots  of 
squabs.  I  have  been  following  your  manual's 
instructions  as  close  as  possible.  I  have  about 
sixty  pairs.  They  are  in  fine  condition  and 
have  lots  of  eggs  and  youngsters. — C.  W.  H., 
North  Carolina. 

SQUABS  WEIGHING  NEARLY  A  POUND 
APIECE  WHEN  ONLY  THREE  WEEKS 

OLD.  Please  send  me  your  price  list  on  birds 
and  supplies  as  I  intend  to  get  about  ten 
more  pairs  of  Extra  Homers  and  want  to  get 
them  of  you.  The  birds  I  have  now,  which 
I  got  from  you,  are  doing  fine  and  I  have 
doubled  my  flock.  I  could  sell  all  the  squabs 
I  have  but  want  them  for  breeders. 

Would  you  kindly  advise  me  if  oats  are 
good  for  breeding  pigeons  if  fed  moderately. 
Also  do  you  think  it  wise  to  sell  my  squabs 
when  they  are  from  two  and  one  half  to  three 
weeks  old,  as  some  of  them  will  weigh  about 
fourteen  ounces  at  that  age. — A.  P.,  Ohio. 


Look  up  the  standing  and  character  of  the  concern  with  which  you  contemplate  dealing. 
Your  bank  will  find  out  the  facts  for  you.  Avoid  advertisers  whom  you  find  out  by  investiga- 
tion are  worthless.  Have  their  ratings  looked  up  for  you. 

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1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES   OF  SUCCESS    ON   THIS   PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE   RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH   ROCK   SQUAB   COMPANY  OF    BOSTON  IN   NINE   MONTHS    OF   1906. 


Answer.  Pigeons  do  not  care  much  for 
oats.  Pigeons  in  the  street  eat  them,  as  they 
eat  peanuts  or  bread.  Of  course  if  you  have 
oats  handy  and  cheap,  you  can  feed  some, 
but  pigeons  will  eat  almost  every  other  grain 
in  preference.  When  squabs  weigh  14  ounces 
they  can  be  killed,  no  matter  what  their  age. 

MOVE  THEM  AS  YOU  PROPOSE.  I  have 
pigeon  breeders  in  unit  numbers  one  and 
three.  Squabs  in  unit  number  two,  from 
one  to  three  months  old.  I  wish  to  put  num- 
ber three  with  number  one.  Number  three 
is  breeding  right  along.  Will  it  hurt  to  move 
nest,  pigeons  and  squabs  out  of  number  three 
into  unit  number  one?  Will  it  damage  eggs 
and  squabs  to  do  so?  If  rot  I  can  move 
them  through  unit  number  two,  as  I  can  let 
number  two  in  flying  pen  while  I  am  moving 
number  three. 

I  shall  want  more  pigeons  by  fall.  I  got 
13  pairs  from  you  last  year,  and  I  have  100 
pairs  in  all  now,  so  you  see  I  have  done  well 
with  them.  I  wish  you  would  answer  as  soon 
as  possible  as  I  do  not  wish  to  molest  them 
before  I  hear  from  you. — J.  P.  M.,  Michigan. 

Answer.  Move  them  as  you  propose, 
putting  the  nests  in  the  same  relative  posi- 
tions in  the  new  nest-boxes.  You  will  lose 
few,  if  any. 

INCREASED  STOCK.  In  May,  1903,  you 
sent  C.  I.  Bruce  forty  (40)  pairs  of  your 
pigeons  at  $2.50  a  pair,  and  in  1904,  twelve 
(12)  females.  We  have  sold  and  increased 
stock  since  then  by  breeding,  until,  at  present, 
we  have  about  three  hundred  (300)  birds. — 
Miss  H.  J.,  Connecticut. 

BEST  HOMERS  HE  EVER  SAW.     You 

favor  of  the  12th  June,  answering  my  inquir  - 
of  the  9th  June,  was  duly  received.  Thank 
for  the  information.  I  had  fully  intended  tD 
visit  your  plant,  but,  just  as  I  am  ready  to 
start,  my  wife,  who  was  to  accompany  me  on 
a  two  weeks  visit  to  the  New  England  coast 
is  taken  sick.  I  have  seen  the  birds  which 
you  sent  to  my  neighbor,  Mr.  P.  C.  Evans, 
and  they  appear  to  be  all  you  claim  for  them, 
tie  best  specimens  of  Homers  I  have  yet  had 
the  pleasure  of  seeing. 

If  you  can  let  me  have  a  small  lot  of  one- 
half  dozen  pairs,  at  same  price  as  paid  by  Mr. 
Evans,  you  may  enter  my  order  for  same, 
with  dozen  bowls,  for  early  delivery. — G.  W. 
G.,  Pennsylvania. 

FLOCK    WENT    TO    WORK     QUICKLY. 

Out  of  the  seven  pairs  of  Extra  Homers  you 
shipped  me  June  2,  1906,  I  have  already 
(August  10)  got  twelve  squabs.  I  am  very 
much  pleased  over  having  such  good  success, 


but  I  have  no  way  of  marking  them.  You 
will  please  send  me  an  outfit  for  marking 
them  by  mail.  Send  about  what  you  think 
a  beginner  ought  to  have.  As  the  business 
grows,  will  send  you  a  larger  order. — L.  L., 
Nebraska. 

A  WOMAN'S  WORK.  I  have  90  pigeons 
on  hand,  bred  from  the  26  my  husband  bought 
of  you  a  year  ago  last  April. — Mrs.  H.  C., 
Illinois. 

STRICTLY  ALL  RIGHT.  A  friend  of  mine 
of  this  city  recommended  you  to  me  as  being 
strictly  all  right.  I  will  thank  you  to  send 
me  your  literature  explaining  the  cost  of 
starting  a  squab  farm  of  about  250  pairs, 
raising  and  marketing  same,  as  I  contemplate 
going  in  that  business.  Thank  you  in  ad- 
vance for  any  information  that  you  may  give 
me. — W.  M.  A.,  Alabama. 

RESULTS  TELL  THE  STORY.     As  all  of 

my  birds  secured  from  you  in  May  this  year 
have  their  second  pairs  of  young  ones  and  I 
think  will  continue  to  multiply  as  fast,  will 
you  kindly  forward  me  a  list  of  commission 
men  as  stated  in  your  letter  of  recent  date. 
Am  perfectly  satisfied  with  the  results  ob- 
tained from  your  birds.  If  you  have  any 
inquiries  for  birds  in  this  locality  I  will  be  glad 
to  attend  to  them  for  you. — J.  L.  T.,  Indiana. 

SIZE  OF  SQUABS  A  REVELATION.  We 

are  pleased  to  advise  you  that  we  ate  our  first 
squab  from  the  lot  of  birds  you  shipped  in 
May  last  Sunday  and  wish  to  state  that  the 
size  of  these  squabs  is  a  revelation  to  us,  being 
almost  twice  as  large  as  any  we  have  ever  been 
able  to  secure. 

The  enclosed  list  will  give  you  an  idea  as  to 
their  productiveness.  I  also  would  like  to 
have  you  answer  the  questions  contained 
therein.— H.  B.  R.  Illinois. 

OUR  BIRDS  BETTER  THAN  WE  CLAIM. 

My  birds  reached  me  in  good  order  and  was 
glad  to  see  them  when  I  got  home  from  work 
safe  and  sound.  I  think  the  American 
Express  Co.  is  about  the  best  there  is.  Every- 
body that  sees  your  birds  say  they  are  the  finest 
they  ever  saw.  I  think  when  anybody  is  look- 
ing for  good  birds  they  don't  need  to  look  any 
further  than  your  place  and  I  know  they  will 
go  ahead  of  any  birds  in  this  town  for  looks 
and  flying.  I  think  we  will  stay  here  till  we 
get  a  good  flock  of  birds  then  we  will  move 
outside  of  town.  The  next  time  I  send  for 
birds  I  will  try  and  send  you  a  bigger  order. 

Your  birds  are  better  than  you  claim  for 
them.  Some  of  them  have  eggs  before  their 
young  ones  are  two  weeks  old.  They  get  so 


We  were  the  first.  Our  birds  and  methods  revolutionized  the  squab  industry  and  are 
widely  imitated.  But  imitators  who  copy  or  find  fault  with  our  printed  matter  cannot  give 
you  our  birds.  We  have  no  agents. 

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STORIES   OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE    PLYMOUTH   ROCK    SQUAB   COMPANY   OF   BOSTON  IN   NINE    MONTHS   OF    1906. 


big  they  just  about  can't  sit  in  the  nest.  I 
think  if  you  would  put  an  advertisement  in 
some  of  the  evening  papers  you  would  get 
some  more  trade.  I  am  advertising  your 
birds  to  everybody  I  know. — J.  S.,  Wisconsin. 

COMPLIMENTED  BY  AN  EXPERIENCED 
JUDGE.  One  of  my  hens  made  her  nest  and 
I  thought  she  was  ready  to  lay  but  she  sat  all 
one  day  and  part  of  the  next  and  did  not,  but 
had  her  mouth  open  panting  and  seemed  very 
sick.  I  telephoned  to  Mr.  M.  to  come  and  tell 
me  what  to  do.  When  he  came  he  held  her 
in  warm  water  for  15  minutes  and  then  fast- 
ened her  in  her  nest.  In  ten  minutes  she  laid 
her  egg  and  got  all  right. 

Mr.  M.  holds  the  world's  record  for  three 
hundred  miles  and  has  some  of  the  most  val- 
uable birds  in  Chicago,  and  he  said  my  birds 
were  very  fine,  in  fact  he  said  he  could  have 
hardly  told  them  from  his  own,  they  resembled 
them  so  much. 

When  so  good  a  judge  will  compliment 
them  so  highly  I  feel  very  proud  of  them. — 
A.  B.,  Illinois. 

SQUABS  WEIGHING  ONE  POUND  AT 
TWO  WEEKS.  I  thought  you  might  like  to 
hear  from  the  birds  you  sent  us  a  year  ago. 
They  have  been  working  overtime  since.  We 
have  54  birds  now  with  several  nesting.  Every 
one  is  a  solid  color  the  same  as  the  old  ones. 

The  squabs  we  have  weighed  have  averaged 
a  pound  at  three  weeks  old.  One  weighed  a 
pound  at  two  weeks. 

There  is  a  party  here  getting  birds  of  all 
kinds  and  colors  and  claims  they  are  better 
than  what  we  got  for  Extras  on  account  of  the 
bands.— J.  W.,  South  Dakota. 

Answer.  It  is  quite  common  for  parties 
selling  poor  Homers  to  put  bands  on  their  legs, 
some  of  them  quite  ornamental ,  in  an  endeav- 
or to  enhance  their  value,  same  as  putting 
a  gaudy  label  on  cheap  goods.  It  is  the  pig- 
eons that  count,  not  the  bands.  Bands  are 
useful  to  number  the  birds,  that  is  all. 

NO.  1  PLYMOUTH  ROCKS  ARE  GOOD 
HOMERS.  It  will  probably  be  fall  before  I 
get  my  house  built  and  give  you  an  order  for 
more  birds.  If  money  is  not  too  scarce  the 
order  will  be  for  your  best  birds,  for  the  No. 
1  Plymouth  Rocks  are  doing  even  better  than 
the  Manual  claims  them  to.  Your  Extra 
birds  must  be  wonderful.— W.  H.  W.,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

WE  "  SHOW  THEM  "  OUT  IN  MISSOURI. 

I  received  the  grits  and  oyster  shell  all  O.  K. 
My  birds  jump  on  to  the  grits  and  hemp  seed 
in  a  hurry.  They  are  doing  well.  I  will  have 
about  sixty  squabs  this  month-  and  quite  a 


number  mating  this  week.  I  had  an  order 
for  100  squabs  this  morning.  It  made  me 
sick  to  think  I  could  not  fill  it,  but  my  time 
came  after  a  while.  I  will  build  another  house 
soon  and  I  want  100  more  of  your  birds.  Mr. 
Hall's  birds  look  well.  They  came  through 
nice.  He  is  well  pleased  and  I  think  he  will 
order  more.  There  are  two  more  people  talk- 
ing of  going  into  the  squab  business.  I  will 
try  to  get  an  order  for  you. — J.  W.  H.,  Mis- 
souri. 

HAS  NEVER  SOLD  ANY  SQUABS  LESS 
THAN  NINE  POUNDS  TO  THE  DOZEN. 

About  three  years  ago  I  purchased  of  you  six 
pair  of  Homer  pigeons  for  which  I  paid  $2.50 
per  pair.  My  flock  are  all  from  the  stock  I 
bought  of  you  and  I  have  some  nice  birds.  I 
have  never  sold  any  squabs  under  nine  pounds 
to  the  dozen  at  four  weeks  old.  I  never  sell 
my  birds  after  they  have  left  the  nest  for 
squabs.  Will  you  send  me  your  price  list  for 
grains,  that  is,  Kaffir  corn  and  red  wheat. 
I  would  like  the  address  of  Boston  dealers. — 
C.  E.  W.,  Rhode  Island. 

LETTING  BIRDS  FLY.  I  would  like  to 
have  your  opinion  and  advice  on  a  matter  that 
is  very  important  to  me.  I  have  a  beautiful 
start  with  your  birds,  have  followed  your  book 
exactly  and  the  result  has  been  very  gratifying. 
Now  what  I  want  to  do  is  to  buy  about  three 
hundred  more  old  birds  from  you  and  pen 
them.  Will  the  young  birds  be  as  prolific, 
mate  and  hatch  as  well  if  properly  fed,  watered 
etc.,  exactly  as  my  pens  are,  if  I  allow  them  to 
run  loose  on  my  farm  ?  There  is  no  danger  of 
them  being  shot  and  I  would  much  prefer 
allowing  them  the  run  of  the  farm.  I  have 
the  buildings  that  I  could  convert  into  com- 
fortable houses  at  once,  and  I  will  appreciate 
your  thoughtful  opinion  and  advice  in  the 
matter  for  I  know  you  are  headquarters. — 
T.  W.,  Tennessee. 

Answer.  Birds  which  you  raise  you  can 
let  fly  because  they  know  no  home  but  yours, 
but  Homers  which  you  buy  you  cannot  let  fly 
safely  because  they  know  another  home  (their 
old  home)  and  their  instinct  and  desire  to  go 
home  may  lead  them  to  leave  you. 

NEW  JERSEY  NEIGHBORS  ALL  AGREED. 

The  six  pairs  of  birds  received  from  you  the 
first  day  of  May  are  still  doing  fine  (Jtily). 
One  pair  has  her  third  pair  of  young  at  this 
writing — less  than  three  months.  The  rest 
will  hatch  this  week.  Mr.  Tevis  (the  neighbor 
I  spoke  to  you  about  in  a  former  le:  ;er)  came 
over  after  me  to  see  the  birds  that  he  had 
just  received  from  you.  They  are  fine  birds 
and  he  is  very  much  pleased  "with  them  and 
sorry  that  he  did  not  take  my  advice  and  send 


The  squab  industry  is  growing  every  year.  More  squabs  were  bred  in  1906  than  ever 
before.  Prices  were  better  and  they  are  going  to  be  as  good  or  better  in  1907.  The  habit  of 
squab  eating  is  growing  in  every  section. 

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STORIES   OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY    WERE    RECEIVED   BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH   ROCK   SQUAB   COMPANY  OF    BOSTON  IN    NINE   MONTHS   OF  1906. 


to  you  in  the  first  place,  but  he  bought  about 
60  pairs  from  a  New  Jersey  dealer.  He 
showed  him  a  letter  that  was  supposed  to  have 
come  from  a  man  that  bought  birds  of  you, 
saying  that  he  didn't  want  any  more  of  them. 
But  now  he  sees  the  difference  when  he  has 
them  side  by  side.  Mr.  Webster,  my  next 
door  neighbor,  is  so  well  pleased  with  the 
way  mine  are  doing  that  he  is  going  to  send 
for  a  few  pairs  this  fall.  I  would  if  I  could, 
and  had  the  room. 

I  now  have  16  pairs  of  the  Plymouth  Rock 
birds.  My  pen  is  open  to  any  one  that  wants 
to  see  the  birds  before  they  send  to  you  for 
breeders.  I  thank  you  for  the  fine  birds  you 
sent  to  Mr.  Tevis.  It  shows  that  I  didn't 
exaggerate  your  ability,  to  send  six  pairs  or 
100  pairs  of  fine  birds.— D.  C.  T.,  New  Jersey. 

FINEST  FLOCK  HE  HAD   EVER   SEEN. 

A  year  ago  to-day  we  received  eighteen  pairs 
of  your  Homers.  Our  flock  now  numbers 
nearly  100  pairs  and  all  are  doing  fine.  We 
have  sold  a  few  pairs  at  $1.25  per  pair,  and 
have  had  any  amount  of  inquiries  after  squabs. 
We  have  had  a  number  of  fanciers  up  to  look 
at  the  flock,  and  all  seem  to  think  they  are 
an  exceptionally  fine  lot  of  birds.  One 
gentleman  who  keeps  an  excellent  lot  of 
imported  birds  said  they  were  the  finest  flock 
he  had  ever  seen,  which  speaks  well  for  your 
birds. — B.  B.,  Michigan. 

BEST  BIRDS  IN  HIS  CITY.  Find  en- 
closed $16.34  for  which  to  send  me  a  dozen 
of  your  Homers,  a  dozen  of  nest  bowls,  and 
two  feet  of  aluminum  tubing.  Would  have 
liked  to  send  an  order  sooner  but  had  no 
place  to  keep  them.  My  birds  are  doing 
fine.  We  have  moved  into  a  larger  place 
where  I  can  let  my  birds  out  in  a  wire  cage. 
Your  birds  are  the  best  I  ever  saw  and  the 
only  ones  I  ever  intend  to  keep.  I  have  sold 
off  all  my  young  stock  so  I  have  more  room, 
for  the  others. — J.  B.  T.,  Wisconsin. 

SPLENDID  WORK  WITH  SPLENDID 
BIRDS.  I  wish  to  advise  you  now  (August, 
1906)  of  the  splendid  luck  I  have  had  with 
the  six  pairs  of  birds  purchased  from  you  last 
May  and  which  were  received  at  my  home 
on  May  17. 

These  birds,  within  a  week  after  arrival, 
commenced  to  construct  their  nests  and,  out 
of  the  six  pairs,  five  began  hatching  within 
two  weeks  and  every  egg  produced  a  squab. 
Two  squabs  weighed  at  the  age  of  four  weeks 
and  two  days,  16  ounces,  after  plucking,  and 
the  remainder  weighed  from  eight  to  12 


ounces.  The  two  squabs,  weighing  16  ounces, 
were  the  largest  I  ever  saw  and  I  thought  you 
would  be  interested  in  knowing  the  weights. 

On  account  of  not  having  room  for  any 
more  birds,  I  am  killing  the  squabs  as  they 
mature  but  would  have  liked  to  have  mated 
the  two  large  squabs,  as  I  believe  that  their 
offspring  would  have  averaged  16  ounces 
each. — S.  P.  N.,  New  Jersey. 

DOUBLED  IN  THREE  MONTHS.  En- 
closed find  money  order  for  $1.70  for  which 
please  send  leg  band  outfit.  The  birds  I 
bought  of  you  in  April  are  doing  fine.  They 
have  doubled  themselves. — W.  A.,  Missouri. 

DOING  WELL  IN  CANADA.  Saw  your 
advertisement  in  R.  P.  Journal,  "Squab  book 
free."  Anything  new  in  it?  I  have  your 
book  of  1904  with  two  dozen  your  Homers. 
They  are  doing  fine.  What  would  you  sell 
me  one  dozen  more? — P.  I.  B.,  Quebec. 

ORDERS  FOR  A  FRIEND.  I  enclose  you 
herewith  a  check  for  $30.  Please  ship  to 
enclosed  address  12  pairs  of  your  Extra 
Plymouth  Rock  Homers.  Be  sure  to  send 
him  some  nice  ones. 

Those  we  bought  of  you  some  time  back 
are  doing  nicely  and  if  these  show  up  as  well 
I  think  that  I  will  be  able  to  send  you  some 
more  orders  soon. — S.  W.  T.,  Georgia. 

HAS  DEALT  WITH  THE  FAKIRS.     The 

pigeons  that  you  shipped  to  us  have  arrived 
in  fine  condition  and  the  best  of  health.  We 
are  shipping  back  to  you,  via  American 
Express  the  wicker  basket  in  which  you  sent 
our  pigeons.  Also  our  many  thanks  for  the 
trouble  you  took  in  selecting  the  different 
colored  pairs. 

I  wish  to  say  that  the  pigeons  are  beauti- 
fully mated,  because  one  pair  have  started 
in  business  already,  the  hen  having  laid  two 
eggs,  and  all  the  others  have  showed  promis- 
ing signs  of  mating. 

After  having  dealt  with  poultry  fakirs  and 
receiving  their  treatment,  I  fully  appreciate 
your  kind  treatment  which  is  so  unlike  that 
of  these  fakirs,  but  your  endeavors  are  not  in 
vain,  as  I  soon  expect  to  order  some  more 
pairs.  Your  treatment  has  encouraged  me. 
I  have  provided  an  excellent  house  and  pen 
for  them.  Thank  you  for  your  interest  shown 
in  this  matter. — L.  J.  H.,  Illinois. 

IN  THE  BLUE  GRASS  STATE.  Could 
you  kindly  tell  me  where  I  could  get  some 
white  Homers?  The  Plymouth  Rock  Homers 


New  laws  passed  a  year  ago  by  the  legislatures  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York  forbid  the 
sale  of  quail  except  in  the  months  of  November  and  December.  The  penalty  is  a  heavy  fine 
for  every  quail  found  in  the  hands  of  any  marketman  or  restaurant  keeper.  Quail  are  no 
longer  found  on  bills  of  fare  in  these  two  states  except  around  Thanksgiving  and  Christmas. 
Squabs  are  on  the  bills  of  fare  all  the  year  everywhere.  Other  states,  it  is  said  by  sportsmen, 
will  follow  Massachusetts  and  New  York  with  a  similar  game  law. 

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STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS   PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE    PLYMOUTH  ROCK   SQUAB   COMPANY   OF   BOSTON   IN   NINE    MONTHS   OF    1906. 


I  got  from  you  are  doing  fine. — R.  L.  J., 
Kentucky. 

HIS  SECOND  ORDER.  Enclosed  please 
find  express  money  order  for  five  dollars  for 
which  please  send  me  three  pairs  of  your  No.  1 
Plymouth  Rocks  at  your  earliest  convenience. 
A  previous  order  which  I  received  from  you 
has  been  doing  fine. — J.  E.  D.,  Pennsylvania. 

PROLIFIC  BIRDS.  I  purchased  12  pairs 
Homers  of  you  about  18  months  ago  and  they 
have  done  fine  work  for  me.  I  have  50  pairs 
mated  birds,  saved  the  best  ones  and  sold  the 
second  class. — J.  A.  D.,  Pennsylvania. 

SENT  SISTER  GOOD  BIRDS.  I  enclose  a 
money  order  for  $17.88  for  which  please  send 
three  dozen  nappies  and  six  pairs  blue 
checkers.  You  sent  my  sister  such  fine  birds 
that  I  would  like  the  order  duplicated. — H. 
S.  B.,  New  York. 

RECOMMENDS  OUR  BIRDS  TO  EVERY- 
BODY. The  birds  arrived  in  good  order  and 
I  am  pleased  with  them.  I  have  14  fine  birds 
from  the  first  ones  I  bought  of  you  and  I  think 
the  last  four  pairs  will  go  to  work  soon.  I 
recommend  your  birds  to  everybody. — J.  M. 
M.,  Philadelphia. 

HE  KNOWS  OUR  TEACHINGS  ARE 
RIGHT.  I  have  read  your  Manual  carefully, 
studied  every  point  as  I  went,  because  I 
wanted  to  impress  it  on  my  mind.  I  have 
fsund  in  my  own  experience  that  pigeons  do 
just  as  your  Manual  says.  Your  book  is 
worth  two  or  three  dollars  instead  of  50  cents. 

I  want  to  thank  you  for  the  favor  you  did 
at  finding  the  weight  and  charges  of  some 
things  for  me.  Would  you  kindly  tell  me 
what  would  be  the  cost  of  freight  charges  on 
one  hundred,  two  hundred  and  three  hundred 
pounds  of  grain? — G.  A.  S.,  Georgia. 

FIVE  DOLLARS  A  PAIR  WOULD  NOT 
BUY  HIS.  Birds  came  Friday  at  noon,  and 
accept  many  thanks  for  the  fine  birds  you  sent 
to  me.  My  friend  says  $5.00  per  pair  would 
not  buy  his. — J.  P.  B.,  Georgia. 

PLEASANT  BUSINESS  FOR  A  WOMAN. 

You  will  possibly  remember  that  a  year  ago 
last  April  I  bought  from  you  twenty-five  pairs 
of  your  Extra  Homers.  ' 

I  now  have  some  eighty  pairs  in  my  house 
and  have  used  something  like  two  hundred 
squabs.  My  birds  have  done  well  and  I  have 
lost  only  one  of  my  original  stock. 

I  am  thoroughly  convinced  that  there  is 
money  raising  squabs  and  it  is  a  very  pleasant 
business  for  a  woman,  requiring  only  a  little 


time  each  day  to  attend  to  them  and  one  soon 
becomes  very  much  attached  to  them — Mrs. 
M.  L.,  Kentucky. 

GENEROUS   TREATMENT.      The    pigeon 

that  I  wrote  you  abdut  a  few  days  ago  has 
died.  I  think  it  must  have  been  injured  in 
shipping.  It  was  a  female.  I  think  your 
promise  to  send  another  a  very  generous  one, 
and  I  would  appreciate  it  very  much.  In 
about  two  or  three  months  I  expect  to  order 
more  birds  of  you.  The  others  are  doing 
excellently. — A.  H.  B.,  Massachusetts. 

TRADE  BEGETS  TRADE.  I  have  been 
instrumental  in  making  some  sales  of  pigeons 
for  you.  At  least  I  have  recommended  you  to 
several  people  who  said  they  would  buy  of  you. 
Did  a  doctor  of  Fairhope  buy  a  lot 
of  pigeons  of  you?  He  came  over  here  to  see 
me  about  what  I  thought  of  the  business  and  I 
recommended  you  to  him  strongly.  I  just 
sold  30  pair  of  my  pigeons  to  Dr.  O.  F.  Caw- 
thon  and  E.  J.  Buck  and  I  recommended  them 
to  buy  10  or  12  pairs  of  you.  I  will  continue 
to  advertise  you  all  I  can.  Later  on  I  want 
to  rearrange  my  house  and  build  up  a  big 
place  and  I  will  send  to  you  for  what  I  need. 
— M.  O.,  Alabama. 

GOOD     INCREASE     IN     SIX     MONTHS. 

Yesterday  I  wrote  you  for  the  Manual  or 
National  Standard  Squab  Book,  but  I  forgot 
to  tell  you  of  some  of  your  birds  I  have  seen. 
Last  August  or  September  a  doctor  friend  of 
mine  in  Brunswick  bought  of  you  six  pairs  of 
Homers.  In  two  or  three  weeks  they  began 
to  lay  and  hatch.  He  sold  four  or  five  pairs 
at  $l".00  to  $2.00  a  pair.  He  has  now  between 
seventy  and  eighty  total.  They  are  beauties 
and  if  mine  are  as  pretty  and  do  as  well  I  don't 
think  I  will  be  disappointed.  Please  send 
Manual  as  quick  as  possible. — G.  S.,  Georgia. 

GOOD  RECORD  FOR  FIRST  MONTH.     I 

deem  it  will  be  gratifying  if  you  know  how  the 
13  pair  of  Homers  I  received  from  you  on  May 
3d  are  doing. 

There  has  not  been  a  sick  one  in  the  lot  and 
they  are  very  much  admired  by  all  who  see 
them,  and  are  pronounced  first-class  Extra 
stock. 

They  are  contented  and  very  busy  all  the 
time.  Eight  pairs  are  breeding  now,  with 
three  nests  each  having  a  pair  of  nice  healthy 
squabs.  I  think  this  a  splendid  record  for  the 
first  month  in  a  new  home. — S.  H.  W.,  Penn- 
sylvania. 

LOST  HIS  TEXT  BOOK.  Please  find  en- 
closed 50  cents,  and  send  me  another  Nat- 
ional Standard  Squab  Book.  I  have  mis* 


Remember,  these  are  stories  told  in  1906,  by  customers  who  are  really  raising  squabs 
with  our  birds  and  not  merely  talking  about  what  they  are  going  to  do.  They  are  getting 
satisfactory  results  day  after  day. 

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STORIES    OF    SUCCESS   ON   THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.       THEY  WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH  ROCK  SQUAB    COMPANY    OF  BOSTON  IN   NINE    MONTHS  OF   1906. 


placed  my  other  one  and  can't  find  it.  My 
birds  are  doing  well.  I  have  had  15  pairs  of 
young  birds  since  I  had  them.  I  sold  one  pair 
of  old  white  birds  for  three  dollars  to  a  bird 
store. — H.  K.,  Missouri. 

ATTRACTING  ATTENTION.  Please  to 
send  some  literature  to  address  of  gentleman 
enclosed,  descriptive  of  the  squab  business, 
and  give  him  prices  on  same.  I  have  been 
talking  with  him  in  regard  to  the  business  and 
as  he  has  a  couple  of  farms  over  in  Michigan, 
I  have  no  doubt  but  what  he  wilt  make  an 
investment. 

The  pigeons  that  I  purchased  of  you  last 
spring  are  doing  very  nicely.  Our  pen  is 
attracting  considerable  attention.  We  have 
about  75  in  it  now  and  we  are  about  to  build 
larger  accommodations. — T.  T.,  Illinois. 

ENLARGING  PLANT.  Will  you  kindly 
advise  the  address  of  party  who  purchases 
pigeon  manure? 

My  birds  are  getting  along  very  nicely. 
Intend  putting  up  a  large  house  for  them  in 
the  near  future  and  will  write  you  later  regard- 
ing wire  for  flies. — B.  T.,  New  York. 

SWAMPED  WITH  SQUAB  ORDERS.     It 

is  impossible  for  .me  to  fill  the  orders  that  I 
have  for  squabs.  I  am  sending  you  an  order. 
Please  get  them  out  as  soon  as  possible. 
When  I  receive  them,  I  will  order  another 
dozen  Extras.  I  now  have  about  350  pair  of 
breeders.  They  are  doing  fine. —  H.  S., 
Louisiana. 

SATISFIED  WITH  ALL.  I  received  the 
two  baskets  containing  36  birds  on  Thursday. 
Pardon  delay  in  not  answering  sooner,  as  I 
was  out  of  town.  I  am  perfectly  satisfied 
with  all  the  birds  I  bought  of  you  and  hope  to 
be  able  in  the  future  to  secure  more.  Am 
shipping  the  two  baskets  this  morning  by 
National  express,  homeward  bound. — J.  W., 
New  York. 

GOOD  REPORT.  Please  find  enclosed  a 
money  order  for  which  please  ship  me  12  pair 
pigeons  as  I  saw  some  birds  which  you  shipped 
to  Mr.  Walter  of  this  town.  I  received  a 
booklet  from  your  firm  some  time  ago  but  did 
not  order  birds  until  I  saw  Mr.  Walter  report 
on  his.  I  decided  to  give  you  an  order  if 
you  can  send  me  mixed  colors.  Ship  via 
Adams  express.  Wishing  you  success. — L.  D., 
Pennsylvania. 

ONE  YEAR'S  GOOD  TRIAL.  Quote  me 
prices  on  your  No.  1  Homers.  Those  I 
bought  of  you  one  year  ago  are  doing  nicely. 
— C.  M.  R.,  Pennsylvania. 


THIS  LETTER  WAS  WRITTEN  BY  ONE 
OF  OUR  CUSTOMERS  TO  HIS  FRIEND  IN 
A  NEIGHBORING  TOWN.  I  am  pleased 
to  know  that  you  are  getting  along  so  nicely 
with  your  squab  house.  Wish  you  could  see 
the  last  consignment  of  birds  I  received  from 
the  Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co.  of  Boston. 
They  are  beauties,  and  they  commenced 
building  their  nests  the  second  "day  after  they 
arrived.  I  have  no  idea  where  you  are  going 
to  purchase  your  birds  but  I  certainly  think 
you  will  make  no  mistake  if  you  get  them 
from  Mr.  Rice,  for  the  ones  he  sent  me  are 
the  finest  I  ever  saw. 

I  am  confident  if  you  buy  your  birds  of  Mr. 
Rice  he  will  use  you  right  for  he  has  done  the 
right  thing  by  me.— F.  B.,  New  York. 

WANTS  500  PAIRS  IN  THE  SPRING.     My 

pigeons  are  "doing  very  well  but  they  are 
shedding  a  great  many  feathers.  I  want  to 
make  arrangements  early  in  the  spring  for 
500  pairs  of  your  best  stock,  but  before  build- 
ing my  houses  I  want  to  take  a  trip  to  Melrose 
and  look  your  plant  over,  in  order  to  get  all 
the  ideas  about  construction,  maintenance, 
etc.  I  enclose  separate  slip  with  a  few 
questions  that  I  would  like  to  have  you  answer 
if  it  is  not  too  much  trouble. — J.  W.,  North 
Carolina. 

LOST  ONLY  ONE  BIRD,  AND  THAT  BY 
ACCIDENT.  I  recently  bought  a  few  pairs 
of  birds  that  you  sold  to  a  gentleman  in  this 
city  about  March  1st.  He  was  moving  to  St. 
Louis  and  had  to  dispose  of  the  birds.  With 
what  I  got  from  you  and  the  seven  pairs  I 
bought  from  him  I  now  have  65  birds.  Have 
never  lost  but  one  bird  and  that  was  my  own 
fault  for  I  was  experimenting  on  it  and  accident- 
ally killed  it.  I  have  a  market  in  St.  Louis  for 
all  I  can  ship  at  $4.00  per  dozen.  If  not  ask- 
ing too  much  would  you  kindly  give  me  the 
address  of  a  couple  of  Chicago  and  New  York 
commission  men  that  handle  squabs. — W.  E. 
T.,  Missouri. 

STARTED  WELL.  I  write  you  in  regard 
to  the  pigeons  you  will  remember  we  bought 
of  you  (24  pairs)  about  two  years  ago  this 
month.  Our  Homers  have  done  very  nicely. 
I  have  about  200  pairs.  We  sold  40  pairs 
last  year.  We  have  quite  a  nice  little  plant 
started. — A.  C.,  Wisconsin. 

DOING  WELL,  GOING  TO  BUILD.     Please 

send  me  a  plan  for  your  multiple  unit  house. 
My  pigeons  are  doing  fine. — D.  B.,  Illinois. 

STARTED     IN     TO     MAKE     REFORMS. 

Please    find  enclosed   check  for  nine   dollars 


Somebody  handling  the  small,  stunted  Homers  may  tell  you  that  eight  pounds  to  the 
dozen  is  good  weight  for  squabs  and  that  squabs  are  not  bred  to  weigh  more  from  Homers. 
That  is  true,  from  his  Homers.  In  these  pages  you  will  find  that  eight  pounds  is  low  for 
Plymouth  Rock  Homer  squabs. 

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1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE   PLYMOUTH   ROCK    SQUAB    COMPANY   OF   BOSTON   IN   NINE    MONTHS   OF    1906. 


lor  which  kindly  send  us  one  dozen  drinking 
fountains.  We  would  like  you  to  get  these 
off  as  soon  as  possible. 

I  was  very  much  pleased  with  my  visit  to 
your  plant  at  Melrose  which  I  made  yesterday, 
especially  with  your  facilities  for  mating 
birds  up.  Got  some  new  ideas  along  with  a 
lot  of  good  advice  from  your  superintendent, 
and  to-day  have  started  in  to  make  a  few 
new  reforms  here. — T.  H.  D.,  Connecticut. 

KNOWS  PLYMOUTH  ROCKS  BY  EX- 
PERIENCE. I  saw  your  advertisement  of 
Homer  Pigeons  in  a  magazine.  I  would  like 
very  much  for  your  company  to  send  me  one 
of  your  catalogues,  and  how  much  you  charge 
for  Homers  a  pair.  I  know  from  experience 
that  a  Plymouth  Rock  Homer  is  a  good 
breeder.  A  friend  of  mine  got  some  from 
your  people  a  short  time  ago,  but  I  did  not 
inquire  as  to  the  price  of  them.  In  answer 
to  letter  from  you,  I  will  send  for  some,  and 
if  they  are  satisfactory,  I  will  be  glad  to  get 
more,  as  I  am  a  great  pigeon  fancier. — W. 
A.,  Illinois. 

ONE  YEAR'S  SATISFACTION.  Send  one 
bushel  of  Kaffir  corn  and  one  bushel  of  Canada 
peas  to  me.  It  may  interest  you  to  know  that 
the  birds  I  bought  from  you  a  year  ago  are  in 
every  way  satisfactory.  I  have  doubled  the 
number  of  workers  in  that  time  and  have  had 
all  I  wanted  for  my  own  table,  and  sold  quite  a 
number. — J.  B.  H.,  Massachusetts. 

SOME  WEIGH  14  OUNCES  WHEN  15 
DAYS  OLD.  I  received  your  pigeons  in  May 
when  I  was  in  Longueuil.  They  have  done 
well,  as  I  have  had  some  which  weigh  14 
ounces  at  15  days  old.  What  do  you  think 
of  a  mirror  in  my  squab  house?  I  will  be 
very  pleased  to  receive  all  your  advertising 
booklets.— G.  C.,  Canada. 

SUNFLOWER  SEEDS  ARE  GOOD.  Your 
book  doesn't  say  anything  about  feeding 
pigeons  sunflower  seeds.  Will  they  eat  them 
or  isn't  it  good  for  them  to  have  them  ?  Please 
let  me  know.  The  pigeons  I  got  from  you  are 
doing  pretty  well,  I  think.  I  may  get  more 
next  year. — B.  J.,  Vermont. 

Answer.  Sunflower  seeds  are  a  good  pigeon 
food  and  are  used  by  many  of  our  customers. 
They  are  rich  and  oily  and  should  not  be  fed 
in  excess,  but  as  a  dainty.  A  good  way  to 
feed  them  is  to  throw  the  whole  head  in  front 
of  the  birds  and  let  them  pick  out  the  seeds 
themselves  with  their  bills. 

BREED  WELL  IN  CALIFORNIA.  En- 
closed find  money  order  for  40  cents  for  which 


kindly  send  me  two  feet  of  your  aluminum 
tubing   for   bands.     Also   send   one    of   your 

¥rice    lists,    as    mine    has     been    mislaid, 
wenty-four   pairs   of   Homers   purchased  of 
you  one  year  ago  are  doing  fine.     Flock  now 
numbers  150.— W.  J.  M.,  California. 

CONTINUOUS  SATISFACTION.  Enclosed 
find  check  which  is  to  cover  enclosed  order. 
All  the  birds  which  you  have  sent  me  so  far 
are  very  satisfactory. — G.  S.,  New  York. 

FINEST  BIRDS  AROUND.  Your  birds  I 
bought  of  you  a  year  ago  are  going  fine — the 
finest  birds  around,  so  my  friends  say. — Mrs 
J.  J.  M.,  Massachusetts. 

HOTEL  KEEPER  RAISING  HIS  TABLE 
SQUABS.  Am  very  glad  to  know  that  you 
were  pleased  with  our  menus  and  will  con- 
tinue mailing  them  to  you  from  time  to  time 
if  you  do  not  object.  I  hope  that  the  temp- 
tation will  be  strong  enough  to  cause  you  to 
come  to  our  city  and  look  over  our  squab 
farm.  I  have  been  quite  successful  and  have 
a  fine  lot  of  birds.  It  is  more  than  likely, 
however,  that  I  shall  want  some  additional 
birds  in  the  very  near  future.  I  would  like  a 
few  show  Homers,  Dragoons  and  Runts" 
For  squab  raising  purposes,  I  could  not  ask 
anything  better  than  I  now  have.  Will  mail 
you  an  order  for  supplies  in  a  few  days. — W. 
S.,  Georgia. 

BEAUTIFUL,  HEALTHY  BIRDS.  Will  you 
please  quote  me  the  price  of  your  wicker 
shipping  baskets,  size  for  12  pairs,  or  kindly 
forward  me  the  address  of  the  manufacturers 
of  same.  Also  state  in  your  letter  if  the  drop- 
pings must  be  entirely  free  from  straw  and 
feathers,  or  reasonably  so,  to  satisfy  the  pur- 
chasers at  the  tanneries.  The  six  pairs  I  pur- 
chased of  you  two  years  ago  have  increased  to 
150  or  170,  besides  what  I  have  killed,  and  the 
stock  has  proven  entirely  satisfactory  in  every 
way.  I  have  taken  pains  to  follow  your 
instructions  to  the  letter  so  now  I  have  the 
above  number  of  beautiful,  healthy  birds. — 
W.  H.  Y.,  New  York. 

Answer.  It  is  impossible  to  get  all  straw 
and  feathers  entirely  out  of  the  manure. 
Sweep  out  what  you  can  with  a  broom  before 
cleaning  the  squab-house.  The  leather  peo- 
ple do  not  care  if  some  straw  and  feathers  get 
in  but  they  do  not  want  gravel  and  tobacco 
stems.  The  latter  discolor  and  stain  when 
wet. 

BIRDS  THAT  FLY  AWAY.  On  about 
April  20,  1905,  we  bought  of  you  six  Plymouth 
Rock  Homer  pigeons.  Since  then  they  have 


For  six  years  we  have  had  a  complete  monopoly  of  the  fine  trade  of  the  United  States.  We 
sell  more  Homers  every  year  than  all  other  firms  and  breeders  combined.  The  reason  for  this 
is  that  our  birds  demonstrate  their  value  and  make  friends  wherever  they  go.  This  supremacy 
we  intend  to  maintain. 

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1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES   OF    SUCCESS    ON  THIS   PAGE  ARE   NEW.       THEY   WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE   PLYMOUTH  ROCK  SQUAB  COMPANY  OF  BOSTON  IN  NINE    MONTHS    OF    1906. 


done  exceedingly  well,  and  we  have  got  a 
pretty  good  start  in  pigeons  now,  but  what 
I  write  you  to-day  for  is  this.  This  morning 
at  9  o'clock  one  of  the  birds  we  got  of  you  got 
out  of  the  flying  pen.  She  flew  into  the  air  and 
started  for  Boston.  This  was  a  brown  bird, 
and  we  thought  she  might  arrive  at  her 
destination,  so  I  wish  you  to  keep  a  lookout 
for  her  and  see  if  you  can  tell  if  she  gets  there. 
If  she  does  arrive,  would  you  mind  letting  me 
know?  I  am  anxious  to  know  if  she  gets 
there.  This  was  a  female  bird  and  she  left 
a  young  bird  about  a  week  old  in  the  nest. — 
R.  H.,  Iowa. 

Answer.  No  Homer  would  fly  that  dis- 
tance. We  receive  many  letters  like  the 
above.  Customers  should  watch  the  doors 
of  squab-house  and  pens  and  not  let  their 
birds  get  away. 

LARGE,  HEAVY  AND  FULL-BREASTED. 

Enclosed  find  money  order  for  one  more 
dozen  pairs  of  your  Extra  Plymouth  Rock 
Homers. 

I  did  not  rush  a  letter  down  to  you  the 
same  afternoon  I  received  the  other  birds  for 
the  reason  that  I  wanted  to  try  them  out 
first.  The  dozen  pair  of  Plymouth  Rocks, 
on  their  arrival  weighed  exactly  22  pounds, 
while  a  few  days  later  I  received  another 
dozen  pair  from  another  company  and  they 
weighed  only  17  pounds.  They  were  not 
full-breasted  like  your  birds. 

I  received  first  shipment  on  the  2nd  of 
March.  They  are  now  working  like  good 
fellows.  Have  three  nests  with  eggs  in. 

You  will  hear  from  me  occasionally  with 
further  orders. — A.  P.  S.,  Michigan. 

WANTS    TO    BUY    SOME    GOOD    ONES. 

Kindly  send  your  catalogue  and  any  other 
printed  matter  you  have  about  pigeons.  An 
acquaintance  wants  to  buy  some  good  birds 
and  he  is  going  to  look  at  my  lot  that  I 
received  last  Thursday.  I  feel  sure  I  can 
land  him  as  a  customer  foV  you. — H.  D.  C., 
Pennsylvania. 

GOING  SLOWLY.  Please  send  free  book, 
"How  to  Make  Money  with  Squabs."  The 
birds  bought  of  you  are  doing  well  now  and 
some  of  their  young  are  hatching.  Have 
enough  now  to  ship  a  dozen  a  month  now. — 
W.  M.,  Maryland. 

JUST  THE  BIRDS.  I  thought  I  would 
let  you  know  how  my  birds  are  getting  along. 
They  arrived  on  Tuesday,  May  1st,  as  I  wrote 
you.-  Thursday  of  the  same  week  one  pair 
had  commenced  to  build.  At  this  writing 
four  pairs  have  eggs.  The  others  are  build- 
ing. That  is  what  I  call  going  right  to  work. 


I  am  very  much  pleased  with  them.  There 
was  a  party  here  this  morning  looking  at 
them.  He  talks  of  putting  in  one  hundred 
pair,  and  says  they  are  just  the  birds  that  he 
wants.  He  is  coming  up  to  see  your  plant. 
Of  course  I  showed  him  my  birds  and  told 
him  just  what  they  were  doing  and  where 
they  came  from  so  I  think  he  will  be  a  cus- 
tomer for  you.  I  shall  advertise  the  Plymouth 
Rock  birds  wherever  I  have  a  chance.  Thank 
you  for  your  kindness. — J.  C.,  New  Jersey. 

SQUABS  WEIGHING  ONE  POUND  APIECE 
WHEN  ONE  MONTH  OLD.  I  received  my 
pigeons  from  you  April  20,  1905.  I  have  one 
pair  that  has  hatched  eleven  (11)  times  up  to 
the  22nd  day  of  April,  1906,  so  you  can  see 
that  they  have  had  fairly  good  care.  I  now 
have  110  birds  and  am  getting  them  fast  now 
and  will  commence  shipping  when  I  get  70 
or  £0  pairs.  I  have  weighed  a  number  of 
birds  four  weeks  old  that  weighed  16  ounces 
and  I  think  that  is  very  good. — L.  P.,  Iowa. 

QUICKLY  AT  WORK.  Please  pardon  my 
delay  in  acknowledging  the  receipt  (right 
side  up)  of  the  pigeons  you  shipped  to  me  at 
Harpers  Ferry,  W.  Va.,  which  place  I  left 
before  the  shipment  arrived.  My  wife 
informed  me  that  they  were  all  in  good  shape 
and  the  finest  specimens  she  ever  saw.  Also 
thought  they  had  returned  the  baskets  to  you. 
As  soon  as  I  go  home,  which  will  be  in  a/ew 
days,  will  send  you  another  order.  My  wife's 
third  letter  tells  "me  that  16  pairs  put  of  the  18 
have  gone  to  setting.  Don't  think  you  can 
beat  that  at  home.  We  have  everything  good 
to  feed  them,  peas,  kaffir  corn,  wheat  and 
millet,  and  we  intend  to  make  a  success  of 
the  business. — W.  S.,  Virginia. 

SQUABS  HAVE  AVERAGED  ONE  POUND 
APIECE.  Enclosed  please  find  certified 
check  for  $173.98  for  which  kindly  send  me 
birds  and  supplies  as  enclosed.  Kindly  send 
the  shipment  of  birds  as  soon  as  possible  as 
I  would  like  to  receive  theni  before  Tuesday. 
All  my  birds  are  doing  nicely.  My  squabs, 
under  your  system  of  feeding,  have  averaged 
a  pound  apiece  and  I  expect  from  the  present 
outlook  of  things  to  make  them  average  a 
good  deal  more. — E.  H.  M.,  Pennsylvania. 

THIS  WOMAN  IN  BRITISH  COLUMBIA 
KNOWS  WHAT  A  FINE  HOMER  IS.  A 

week  ago  I  wrote  you  complaining  of  non- 
acknowledgment  of  my  remittance  sent  in 
with  my  order.  As  I  was  beginning  to 
wonder  if  it  had  miscarried,  I  am  pleased  to 
be  able  to  inform  you  that  I  received  the  best 
possible  answer  to  my  letter  in  arrival  of 
the  birds  I  ordered  from  you.  They  arrived 


The  equipment  at  our  farm  for  mating  birds  cost  $2000  and  no  expense  was  spared  to 
make  it  perfect.  A  thousand  mating  coops  are  in  constant  use.  The  principal  mating  house 
is  heated  by  hot  water  so  as  to  get  the  best  and  quickest  results  in  the  cold  months. 

164 


1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON   THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.     THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH   ROCK    SQUAB   COMPANY  OF   BOSTON  IN  NINE   MONTHS   OF   1906. 


about  the  same  time  as  your  letter  (May  1st). 
All  of  them  are  in  first-class  condition  and  I 
am  very  pleased  with  them,  as  I  consider 
that  they  are  a  fine  lot  of  birds,  and  I  think  I 
know  what  a  fine  Homer  is  when  I  see  it,  as 
my  father  and  brothers  have  bred  and  sold 
trained  flying  Homers  for  years  in  Lancashire, 
England,  some  of  them  worth  twenty-five 
dollars  a  pair.  Although  I  never  heard  of 
squab  raising  before  I  came  to  Canada  three 
years  ago,  when  I  first  saw  your  book  adver- 
tised in  Munsey's  I  thought  it  was  some  kind 
of  game  bird  reared  in  captivity,  and  sent  for 
your  book  more  out  of  curiosity  than  any- 
thing else.  I  think  I  shall  like  the  business 
very  much  and  shall  probably  be  sending 
another  order  in  a  month  or  two  when  I  see 
how  I  go  on  with  the  birds  I  have  got.  Thank 
you  very  much  for  the  two  pairs  extra  you 
sent,  also  nest  bowls.  They  were  a  very 
agreeable  surprise  to  me  as  I  did  not  expect 
anything  like  that  on  such  a  small  order. 
The  express  charges  were  six  dollars,  and  25 
cents  duty  on  nest  bowls.  If  you  would 
write  me  from  time  to  time  giving  me  your 
prices  I  shall  be  much  obliged. — Mrs  A.  R., 
Canada. 

SQUABS  WEIGHING  FROM  13  TO  16 
OUNCES.  Please  send  me  at  your  earliest 
convenience  the  names  of  reliable  merchants 
to  whom  I  can  ship  squabs,  in  New  York. 
The  80  pairs  I  bought  of  you  last  fall  are  doing 
well.  I  sold  squabs  that  weighed  from  13 
ounces  to  almost  one  pound  apiece.  I  have 
over  ICO  pairs  of  young  ones  that  I  am  sav- 
ing for  stock. — H.  J.,  Ohio. 

WORTH  THEIR  PRICE.  Some  time  ago 
I  sent  you  an  order  for  three  pairs  No.  1  and 
three  pairs  Extra  Homers,  stating  that  I 
wished  to  compare  with  Homers  a  friend  of 
mine  was  ordering  at  a  very  much  lower 
figure.  In  a  word,  after  due  comparison,  I 
order  six  more  pairs  Extras.  Please  send  me 
fine  birds.— C.  J.,  Illinois. 

SQUABS  WEIGHING  16  TO  17  OUNCES 
EACH.  Please  find  enclosed  remittance  for 
which  send  me  12  pairs  and  supplies  noted. 
The  dozen  pairs  you  sent  me  started  in  to  do 
business  last  month,  having  been  moulting  up 
to  that  time.  The  first  two  -pairs  squabs 
hatched,  at  one  month  old,  weighed  one  pound 
each,  with  one  that  was  17  ounces.  That  is 
very  good,  is  it  not  ?  I  am  well  pleased  with 
them.  Make  this  dozen  as  good  and  I  shall 
be  more  pleased. — C.  B.  G.,  Connecticut. 

HIS  FOURTH  ORDER.  Enclosed  you  will 
please  find  money  order  for  which  you  will 
please  send  me  as  soon  as  possible  one  dozen 


pairs  Extra  bred  Homers  (fourth  order.) — L 
C.,  Louisiana. 

SUPERIOR    IN    LOOKS    AND    WORKS. 

The  birds  (60  pairs)  arrived  on  the  late  train 
from  St.  Paul  on  Sunday  night  last,  and 
remained  in  the  depot  here  until  early  on  the 
following  morning  when  we  took  them  home. 
Outside  of  the  injured  ones  mentioned,  I  will 
say  that  the  birds  arrived  in  perfect  condition 
and  are  fully  up  to  what  we  expected  them  to 
be.  They  are  now  "  at  home  "  and  present 
a  beautiful  appearance.  The  birds  which  you 
sent  me  last  November  (nine  months  ago)  are 
entirely  satisfactory,  and  "  out-class "  any 
I  received  from  the —  — or  those  which  my 
friend  here  received  from  the  same  people. 
Mine  are  plump,  his  are  "  cranish,"  long-legged 
and  long-necked.  I  would  not  keep  that  kind 
of  birds.  My  friend  has  not  accommodations 
for  pigeons,  and  wanted  to  sell  out.  A  doctor 
who  for  several  years  rented  offices  in  my  law 
office  building  here,  looked  them  over  with  the 
view  of  purchasing  the  outfit,  and  I  advised 
him  to  do  so,  to  get  a  start  in  the  business. 
He  visited  my  lofts,  and  saw  my  birds,  wanted 
to  buy  some  from  me,  and  after  he  saw  mine, 
he  would  not  buy  of  my  friend.  I  gave  him 
your  address,  but  have  not  seen  him  since, 
and  do  not  know  whether  he  has  made  a  pur- 
chase or  not.  I  have  none  to  sell  at  this  time 
as  we  are  trying  to  increase  the  flock  to  at 
least  1200,  for  which  we  have  ample  accommo- 
dations, then  we  will  begin  to  sell. 

There  is  no  mistake  in  saying  that  the  birds 
which  I  received  from  you,  out-class  those 

which  the have  sent  here.  If  your 

Mr.  Rice  should  ever  come  to  this  country  I 
would  be  pleased  to  have  him  stay  with  me 
and  look  over  the  "  greatest  "  farming  coun- 
try on  earth. 

My  elder  boy  (17  years  of  age)  visited  the 
great  Minnesota  State  Fair.  Saw  Dan  Patch 
break  his  record,  reducing  it  to  1.55  flat.  He 
looked  the  pigeons  over  as  a  matter  of  course, 
and  he  tells  me  that  he  could  find  no  Homers 
there  which  compared  with  ours.  He  intends 
to  exhibit  some  at  the  fair  next  fall. — H.  M., 
Minnesota. 

MADE  A  SUCCESS  AND  GOING  AHEAD 
ON  A  BIG  PLANT.  I  have  a  party  that  wants 
to  go  into  the  squab  business  with  me,  and  it 
is  possible  that  I  will  call  on  you  during  Nov- 
ember for  2000  breeders.  I  have  done  very 
well  with  the  800  I  have,  encouraging  enough 
to  put  in  quite  an  extensive  plant.  I  would 
like  to  have  your  personal  opinion  as  to 
whether  2000  birds  will  do  as  well  in  20  units  of 
100  birds  each  with  one  fly  12x48x200  as  they 
would  in  20  units  with  20 "flies  10x12x48.  On 


Our  whole  time  and  energies  are  given  to  squabs.  We  handle  trade  as  it  ought  to  be 
handled — promptly,  courteously  and  thoroughly,  with  every  detail  attended  to.  Letters  are 
answered  at  once.  It  is  a  business  with  us,  pushed  steadily  every  day  in  the  year  except  Sun- 
days and  holidays,  and  not  a  side  issue  or  an  amusement. 

165 


1906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE    PLYMOUTH    ROCK    SQUAB  COMPANY    OF    BOSTON  IN  NINE   MONTHS   OF  1906. 


account  of  labor  I  would  prefer  the  one  large 
fly,  but  I  want  no  experiments  and  leave  the 
matter  with  you.  I  can  get  $4.00  per  dozen 
for  a  large  portion  of  my  squabs,  and  would 
like  to  have  an  opinion  as  to  what  5000  of 
your  breeders  would  net  us  yearly  when  we 
raise  our  own  feed  on  the  farm. 

WE  SUPPLY  HENS  TO  THOSE  WHO 
NEED  THEM.  After  recommending  your 
firm  to  A.  F.  Kennelley  of  this  city  and  he 
being  a  purchaser  from  you  recently,  I  find 
that  he  is  well  pleased  with  treatment  accord- 
ed him.  Enclosed  please  find  $5.00  for  five 
female  birds  to  be  used  as  breeders.  I  bought 
some  birds  from  a  friend  of  mine  and  he  had 
five  odd  cocks  which  I  want  to  mate  up. 
You  will  forward  these  by  first  express  to  my 
address.— H.  E.  W.,  Ohio., 

BEST     BIRDS     HE     EVER     SAW.     The 

Homers  ordered  from  you  reached  me  in  due 
time  and  in  excellent  condition.  They 
certainly  are  the  finest  birds  I  ever  saw.  I 
really  believe  they  are  a  finer  lot  than  the 
first  consignment,  if  that  be  possible.  The 
second  day  after  their  arrival  they  commenced 
building  their  nests,  which  I  imagine  is  a 
pretty  good  record. 

Some  of  my  friends  have  secured  birds  from 
other  parties  and  although  I  have  not  seen 
their  birds,  I  am  confident  they  can't  tell  me 
that  they  have  a  finer  lot  than  mine. 

If  I  have  an  opportunity  of  securing  you 
any  customers  I  shall  be  only  too  glad  to  do 
so.— B.  Y.,  New  York. 

BEST  HOMERS  IN  CALIFORNIA.  Birds 
received  in  Al  condition.  Your  birds  have 
stirred  up  quite  some  interest  here  and  what  I 
hear  from  people  who  know  is  that  your  birds 
are  the  best  in  the  colony.  As  it  is,  I  am  well 
pleased  with  the  bunch.  I  have  a  house 
12  x  32  feet  divided  into  four  pens  8x9  feet 
with  a  three-foot  passage  running  the  length 
and  everything  up  to  date.  That  also  has 
opened  their  eyes  in  the  building  and  arrange- 
ments in  an  up-to-date  squab  house.  I  have 
had  the  birds  less  than  a  week  and  am  pretty 
well  advertised  already.  The  market  here 
is  strong  at  $3.00  to  $3.50  and  the  demand 
far  exceeds  the  supply. — C.  H.,  California. 

SOLD  YOUNGSTERS  FOR  $2  A  PAIR  IN 

KANSAS.  Enclosed  find  remittance  for  one 
leg  band  outfit.  My  pigeons  have  been  doing 
fine,  and  are  keeping  busy  all  the  time.  Have 
sold  off  the  young  pigeons  at  eight  weeks  old 
for  $2.00  per  pair.  What  is  the  difference  in 
Canada  peas  and  the  peas  we  raise  here? 
Will  the  common  peas  do  to  feed  to  the 
pigeons? — G.  W.  S.,  Kansas. 


LATEST  NEWS  FROM  THE  NEW  YORK 
MARKET;  HIGH  PRICES  WHICH  ARE 
GOING  HIGHER  BECAUSE  OF  THE  NEW 
LAW  FORBIDDING  ENTIRELY  THE  SALE 
OF  QUAIL  EXCEPT  IN  NOVEMBER  AND 
DECEMBER.  I  take  the  liberty  of  asking 
you  for  a  little  more  advice  for  the  birds  I 
bought  from  you  last  November.  Of  sick- 
ness I  have  not  seen  any  sign  of  it.  I  lost  only 
two  of  them,  one  of  apoplexy  I  think,  because 
it  fell  like  shot  dead,  the  other  one  died  of 
diarrhoea.  Of  the  young  squabs,  the  cas- 
ualties have  been  a  little  higher,  but  out  of 
50  I  did  not  lose  more  than  six,  or  12  per  100. 

Now  I  wish  you  would  give  me  your 
opinion  how  I  have  progressed,  if  I  am  on  the 
regular  average  or  if  I  am  under  it.. 

The  prices  for  squabs  on  the  New  York 
market  have  been  very  high  all  winter — have 
reached  as  high  as  $6.50  a  dozen  for  squabs 
of  over  10  pound  a  dozen,  and  $4.50  for  birds 
of  near  eight  pound  or  so.  Of  course  private 
trade  is  better  and  I  have  been  able  to  sell 
squabs  for  50  cents  apiece  easily. 

I  have  a  set  of  birds  that  give  me  three 
eggs  and  have  hatched  them  successfully 
with  three  days  late  for  the  extra  one.  Does 
that  happen  often? — H.  G.,  New  York. 

WILL  NOT  BUY  ANY  HOMERS  BUT 
PLYMOUTH  ROCKS.  Last  May  I  ordered 
from  you  twelve  Plymouth  Rock  Homers. 
They  arrived  on  the  eighth  of  May  and  on  the 
twelfth  of  the  same  month  the  first  egg  was 
laid.  Five  pairs  of  them  went  to  work  almost 
immediately  and  have  been  at  work  ever 
since.  I  raised  the  squabs  during  the  summer. 
I  have  now  13  pairs  of  mature  pigeons.  Twelve 
pairs  work  constantly  and  I  am  very  much 
pleased  with  them  and  want  to  thank  you 
for  them  and  as  you  are  so  kind  as  to  offer  to 
answer  questions  and  to  help  we  people  who 
do  not  know  all  about  raising  squabs  I  shall 
be  so  much  obliged  if  you  will  give  me  a  little 
help.  My  present  ambition  is  to  increase  my 
plant.  I  want  to  buy  some  Extras  from  you 
as  soon  as  I  can  raise  the  capital.  I  can  buy 
Homers  nearer  home  but  yours  have  done  so 
well  for  me  that  whatever  new  stock  I  get  I 
would  like  to  get  from  you.  You  say  in  your 
book  that  you  will  give  your  patrons  the 
address  of  a  good  New  York  buyer.  Will  you 
please  send  me  the  address? — C.  O.,  New 
Jersey. 

BRANCHING  OUT.  Please  quote  me  your 
best  figures  on  the  following:  Homer  pigeons 
in  pairs  ready  to  go  to  work  in  lots  of  20,  50 
and  100  pair  lots.  Hempseed  in  bushel  lots. 
Health  grit  in  100  pound  lots.  I  have  your 
prices  of  last  year  but  presume  there  are  some 
changes.  I  purchased  12  pairs  of  Homers 
from  you  last  spring  and  they  raised  me  about 


These  are  strong  letters.     Read  them  over.      You  want  some  assurance,   when  you  buy 
pigeons,  that  you  will  be  treated  right,  as  these  customers  were. 

166 


/906  LETTERS     FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY   WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE    PLYMOUTH    ROCK   SQUAB  COMPANY  OF   BOSTON    IN    NINE    MONTHS  OF  1906. 


60  young  ones  by  the  first  of  November. — 
R.  W.  H.,  Iowa. 

BLOOD  AND  HIGH  BREEDING  COUNT. 

Enclosed  find  draft  for  which  you  will  send 
by  Pacific  express,  Extra  Homers,  as  per 
memorandum.  Several  weeks  ago  I  ordered 

1 5  pairs  of .  When  the  birds  came  I  did  not 

think  they  were  much  more  than  common 
birds.  A  friend  in  our  town  wanted  some 
breeders  and  I  got  him  to  try  your  birds. 
They  came  last  night.  There  is  a  big  differ- 
ence between  the  birds.  My  first  birds  do 
not  show  any  white  on  bill  to  amount  to  any- 
thing and  they  are  most  all  white  or  very 
light  color.  Yours  show  their  high  breeding. 
Blood  tells,  when  you  put  them  together.  I 
sold  mine  at  half  price  to-day  to  get  shut  of 
them.  What  I  want  is  blooded  stock  or 
nothing.  Please  send  me  a  good  collection 
of  assorted  colors,  blues,  reds  and  checkers. 
I  ordered  one  of  your  squab  books  some  time 
ago  and  I  think  it  the  best  I  ever  read  on 
pigeons. — J.  A.,  Missouri. 

TRIFLING  DEATH  LOSSES.  In  January 
of  this  year  I  purchased  12  pairs  of  your 
Extras.  They  are  now  (April)  in  fine  condi- 
tion and  have  hatched  out  24  young  ones,  22 
of  which  are  living  and  doing  fine. — W.  J., 
Massachusetts. 

SEVEN  PAIRS  WORTH  $25,  THIS 
ARKANSAS  CUSTOMER  THINKS.  Writing 
you  a  few  lines  to  let  you  know  that  I  got  the 
pigeons  all  O.K.  They  were  all  well.  I  got 
them  two  weeks  to-day  and  out  of  the  seven 
pairs,  four  pairs  of  them  have  built  and  are 
setting  on  eggs  already.  I  would  have 
written  you  sooner  but  wanted  to  see  what 
they  were  going  to  do.  I  would  not  take 
$25  for  the  seven  pairs.  Sending  the  basket 
back  this  evening  with  the  letter.  You  can 
put  this  letter  on  your  list.  I  think  it  is  the 
only  one  from  Arkansas. — C.  W.,  Arkansas. 

GOOD  SHOWING  AFTER  THEIR  3000- 
MILE  JOURNEY.  Enclosed  please  find  Wells 
Fargo  Express  money  order  for  $1.70  for  which 
please  send  me  by  mail  post  paid,  one  leg 
band  outfit  at  your  very  earliest  convenience. 
My  birds  received  from  you  March  17  are 
doing  fine.  They  got  right  to  work  and  one 
month  from  the  day  I  received  them  I  had 
three  pairs  of  squabs  hatch.  Since  then  one 
more  pair  has  hatched  and  two  more  pairs  are 
setting  and  two  pairs  building.  I  think  that 
is  a  pretty  good  showing  in  six  weeks  for  10 
pairs  after  travelling  3000  miles.  I  lost  one 
hen.  She  got  sick  and  I  could  not  find  what 
was  the  trouble.  She  did  not  have  diarrhoea, 
but  just  seemed  to  droop  and  die.  The 
remainder  of  them  are  as  fine  as  could  be. 


Will  you  please  quote  me  prices  on  nine  pair 
Extra  Homers  to  be  delivered  in  June  or  July. 
Cannot  tell  yet  just  when  I  will  be  ready  for 
them,  but  either  June  or  July  sure.  Best 
wishes  for  your  continued  success. — E.  M., 
California. 

ARKANSAS  CUSTOMER  IS  PLEASED 
WITH  SQUARENESS.  I  received  your  Man- 
ual a  day  after  I  wrote  that  letter,  and  I 
received  another  one.  I  have  sold  both  of 
them,  and  find  enclosed  $1.00  to  pay  for  your 
extra  one  and  another  one  for  myself.  You 
people  treated  me  so  well  I  won't  buy  any 
Homers  from  anybody  else.  I  was  surprised 
at  your  squareness  and  have  told  every  one 
about  it  and  got  them  all  a-going  in  the  right 
direction.  I  was  very,  very  much  pleased 
with  your  Manual. — G.  R.,  Arkansas. 

HIS    MONEY    TALKS    FOR    HIM.     Last 

August  I  purchased  124  pairs  of  your  Extras 
and  am  now  in  the  market  for  about  375  pairs 
more.  I  am  also  in  need  of  some  extra  hens 
of  the  same  quality.  Can  you  supply  same? 
Also  let  me  know  if  you  can  furnish  these  birds 
in  pairs  in  the  following  colors:  blues,  blue 
checkers  and  red  checkers  in  any  number  I 
may  desire.  Please  state  your  very  lowest 
price  on  above  number  of  pairs.  Let  me  hear 
from  you  by  return  mail,  as  I  am  in  a  great 
rush  for  the  birds. — S.  T.,  Indiana. 

CANNOT  SAY  TOO  MUCH  IN  PRAISE  OF 
OUR  HEALTH  GRIT.  Enclosed  find  $2.00 
for  100  pounds  of  health  grit.  I  find  this  grit 
the  best  on  the  market  for  pigeons.  I  cannot 
say  too  much  for  it  as  it  keeps  the  pigeons  in 
fine  health.  Although  the  price  is  high  I 
would  never  be  without  it.  I  have  quite  a 
few  people  that  want  to  get  this  grit  from  me. 
Can  you  let  me  have  it  cheaper,  so  that  I  can 
make  something  out  of  it?  Answer  and  let 
me  know. — R.  O.,  New  Jersey. 

BIG  SQUAB  FARM  WHOSE  OWNER 
BOUGHT  HIS  BREEDERS  OF  US.  I  visited 
a  squab  farm  last  Sunday  and  before  I  left 
found  that  the  owner  bought  his  breeders  of 
your  company,  five  hundred  pairs.  He  has 
1100  pairs  at  present  and  is  making  a  fortune. 
After  seeing  this  farm  I  was  more  than  con- 
vinced that  the  Plymouth  Rock  Squab  Co. 
is  O.  K.  If  I  get  as  good  a  lot  of  birds  as 
he  has  I  certainly  will  be  pleased. 

I  am  sorry  that  I  did  not  figure  on  handling 
more  birds  than  I  did.  Have  built  house  to 
accommodate  100  birds.  Enclosed  find  stamps 
for  which  please  send  plans  and  specifications 
for  squab  houses.  No  doubt  you  will  receive 
a  larger  order  from  me  in  a  short  time.  Will 
notify  you  in  a  few  days  when  to  ship  -birds. 


Beware  of  anybody  who  tries  to  make  a  sale  to  you  by  running  down  the  Plymouth  Rock 
Squab  Co.     Insist  that  he  show  you  letters  like  these  in  proof  of  his  claims. 

167 


1906  LETTERS      FROM     CUSTOMERS  1906 

STORIES    OF    SUCCESS    ON    THIS    PAGE    ARE    NEW.      THEY    WERE    RECEIVED    BY 
THE  PLYMOUTH  ROCK   SQUAB    COMPANY   OF   BOSTON  IN  NINE  MONTHS    OF    1906. 


I  want  to  have  everything  complete  before  I 
have  them  shipped. — I.  S.,  New  York. 

HAS  TRIED  THEM  AND  KNOWS.  I  am 

at  present  debating  with  myself  and  with 
some  of  my  relations  in  regard  to  starting  in 
the  pigeon  business.  My  folks  are  trying  to 
persuade  me  that  it  is  going  to  cost  too  much 
to  start,  and  that  I  will  not  realize  any  great 

Fronts  very  soon.  As  I  see,  and  at  the  best 
can  figure  it  out,  it  will  take  about  $100  to 
start  in  with  fifty  pairs  of  breeders  and  build  a 
home  to  accommodate  them,  getting  the  price 
of  building  down  as  low  as  possible  with  lum- 
ber at  its  present  price.  What  I  want  to 
know  is,  do  you  think  it  would  pay  me  to  start 
and  about  how  long  do  you  think  it  would 
take  to  get  back  the  amount  paid  out  if  I 
relied  entirely  on  the  birds  ? 

I  think  I  could  get  it  back  in  four  months 
at  the  most,  because  I  have  three  pairs  I  pur- 
chased of  you  in  January,  besides  the  young 
ones  I  have  raised.  I  have  watched  and  studied 
their  ways  and  know  something  about  them. 
I  know  how  fast  they  breed,  etc.  Now  am  I 
right  in  my  estimation  as  to  the  time  it  would 
take  to  regain  my  money  and  would  you 
advise  me  to  start  if  possible?  My  birds  I 
have  now  are  doing  fine. — S.  A.,  Massachusetts. 

MANURE  FOR  SALE.  Will  you  please 
give  me  the  address  of  some  firm  to  which  I 
can  sell  my  pigeon  manure?  My  pigeons  are 
doing  well  this  spring. — T.  O.,  New  York. 

RHODE  ISLAND  SUCCESS.  I  am  enclos- 
ing money  order  for  which  kindly  send  me 
enclosed  supplies.  If  this  money  order  does 
not  cover  cost  do  not  delay  the  grain  but 
send  me  bill  for  extra.  My  birds  are  all  doing 
finely.— B.  O.,  Rhode  Island. 

THIS  IS  THE  KIND  OF  PLAIN  TALK  ONE 
LIKES  TO  HEAR.  I  am  finding  out  for  my- 
self if  there  was  money  in  squabs  and  I  have 
found  it  to  be  true  by  other  squab  breeders. 
I  was  to  a  man's  place  this  afternoon  and  he 
said  he  had  no  trouble  in  selling  his  squabs 
for  a  good  price.  I  guess  the  only  trouble 
is  people  are  sleeping  half  the  time.  That's 
why  they  don't  know  much  about  squab 
breeding.  If  a  fellow  doesn't  believe  in  squab 
breeding,  all  he  has  to  do  is  to  open  his  eyes 
and  look  around.  I've  been  to  a  couple  of 
bird  shows  and  have  seen  nothing  to  go  ahead 
of  your  birds  yet.  My  friend  was  saying  what 
nice  birds  they  had  at  the  show,  and  I  thought 
I  would  go  down  with  him.  We  had  to  pay 
25  cents  to  get  in.  After  we  looked  at  the 
birds,  he  said  that  mine  would  get  the  first 
prize  if  I  would  take  them  down.  Then  I 
found  out  that  I  have  some  of  the  biggest  birds 


in  town.  I  would  like  to  get  some  pictures 
taken  and  show  you  some  of  the  birds  I  got 
from  yours.  I  found  your  book  to  be  a  book 
anybody  can  read  and  knows  what  he  is  read- 
ing about.  Everything  is  so  plain — what  a 
beginner  wants  to  know  about  breeding  birds. 
I  was  thinking  of  sending  you  my  third  order. 
If  I  do,  it  will  be  next  week.  Hoping  you  are 
doing  a  good  business.  My  birds  are  doing 
fine.  Your  birds  are  the  best  breeders  and  I 
won't  take  any  others. — S.  C.  H.,  Wisconsin. 

NEST  BOWLS  ALL  RIGHT.  Please  find 
a  money  order  for  one  dozen  more  of  your  nest 
bowls.  They  are  O.  K.  Put  them  in  the 
house  one  evening  and  on  going  in  the  next 
found  that  a  pair  had  already  taken  posses- 
sion and  started  a  nest.  Have  11  pair  setting 
on  eggs  and  they  are  doing  fine.  I  intend  to 
purchase  more  from  you  later  as  I  am  going 
to  build  a  unit  to  start  this  spring  and  enclose 
money  for  your  plans  for  squab  houses. 
Wishing  you  every  success. — W.  A.,  Massa- 
chusetts. 

ENLARGING.  Enclosed  find  check  for 
which  please  send  me  seven  pairs  of  your 
Extra  Homers  and  one  dozen  fibre  nests. 
Send  by  American  express.  This  time  I 
would  like  to  have  different  colored  birds. 
The  birds  and  supplies  you  sent  me  in  Janu- 
ary came  in  good  shape.  I  was  well  pleased 
with  same.  Am  thinking  some  of  putting  in 
50  or  100  pairs  more  this  summer  if  I  can 
arrange  for  another  house. — H.  B.,  Indiana. 

BEST  EVER  SEEN  IN  OKLAHOMA. 

Enclosed  please  find  money  order  for  which 
send  me  your  best  Extra  Homers  as  specified. 
Send  all  blue-speckled  birds,  as  shown  on 
right  of  special  offer  sheet.  Your  last  ship- 
ment of  birds  are  fine  ones  and  every  one  that 
has  seen  them  say  they  are  the  finest  they  ever 
saw.  Trusting  these  will  be  the  same  or 
better  and  that  I  may  receive  them  at  your 
earliest  convenience. — -W.  H.,  Oklahoma. 

BUYING  MORE  AFTER  ONE  YEAR'S 
EXPERIENCE.  A  little  over  a  year  ago,  I 
bought  24  pairs  of  your  pigeons.  Now  I  wish 
to  buy  300  pairs  of  your  Extra  Plymouth 
Rock  Homers  and  am  fixing  a  house  for  them 
and  will  be  in  shape  to  receive  75  pairs  a 
month,  say  March  1,  April  1,  May  1  and  June 
1.  I  see  that  $1.70  per  pair  is  your  price  in 
lots  of  300  pairs  and  upwards.  I  should 
want  the  best  birds  as  I  believe  they  are  the 
cheapest.  Now  if  this  arrangement  is  all 
right,  you  can  let  me  know  and  I  will  send 
you  $127.50  for  the  first  75  pairs.  I  want 
your  best  birds. — E.  P.,  Ohio. 


Is  there  anybody  in  your  town  who  has  failed  at  squab  raising?  Some  play  at  pigeons 
as  they  would  with  a  new  toy,  then  give  them  up.  If  they  bought  of  us  the  trouble  is  with 
them  and  not  with  the  pigeons. 

168 


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